o- 


■^ii^  I     iiii  fct 


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^:^  5^  o^  3;:^.  «^^  i:^.  ^2- 

l)F  THK 
AT 

PRINCETON,   N.  -J. 

I>  o  IV  ^'VT  I  cj  :v     c»  IS- 

SAMUEL    AONEW, 

OK     PHILADELPHIA,     PA. 


SERMONS 


ON 


VARIOUS   SUBJECTS, 


PRACTICAL  AND  DOCTRINAL. 


BY  SAMUEL  WORCESTER,  D.  D. 

T.ATE    SENIOR    PASTOR    OE    THE    TABERNACLE    CHrRCH,    SALEM,    MASS. 


SALEM: 

PUBLISHED    BY    HENRY    WHirrr.K. 

1823. 


District  of  Massachusetts,  to  wit : 

DISTRICT    CLKRK's    OFFICE. 

BE  it  remembered,  that  on  the  first  day  of  February,  A.  D.  1823,  in  the 
forty-seventh  year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States  of  America, 
HENRY  WHIPPLE,  of  the  said  district,  has  deposited  in  this  office  the  title 
of  a  book,  the  right  whereof  he  claims  as  proprietor,  in  the  words  following, 
to  vvit : — 

"  Sermons  on  Various  Subjects,  Practical  and  Doctrinal.  By  SAMUEL 
WORCESTER,  D.  D.  late  Senior  Pastor  of  the  Tabernacle  Church,  Salem, 
Mass." 

In  conformity  to  the  act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  entitled, 
"■  An  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  maps, 
charts  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during  the 
times  therein  mentioned  :"  and  also  to  an  act  entitled,  "  An  act  supplemen- 
tary to  an  act,  entitled.  An  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  secur- 
ing the  copies  of  maps,  charts,  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of 
such  copies  during  the  times  therein  mentioned  ;  and  extending  the  benefits 
thereof  to  the  arts  of  designing,  engraving  and  etching  historical,  and  other 
prints." 

txT/-.    -iKT    r\A\jta   S  ^^^^f^  of  the  District 
JNO.  W.  DAVIS,  J   „f  Missachmttts. 


BURRILl/   AND    HERSET,    PRINTERS, 

Haverhill^  Mass. 


PREFACE. 


»©• 


^V^ITH  the  character  of  the  late  Dr.  Worcester,  the 
christian  community  are  already  in  some  measure  ac- 
quainted. His  abundant  labours,  and  his  eminent  ser- 
vices, in  the  cause  of  Missions,  have  greatly  endeared 
his  name  to  those  who  feel  an  interest  in  the  great  work 
of  sending  the  gospel  to  the  heathen,  and  will  long  be 
gratefully  remembered.  Though  he  was  less  exten- 
sively known,  as  a  Preacher  of  the  Gospel,  than  he  was 
as  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  American  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions  ;  yet  many  have 
listened,  with  lively  interest,  to  the  word  of  life,  when 
published  by  him  from  his  own  pulpit,  and  in  various 
other  places  where  he  was  providentially  called  ;  and 
there  are  already  before  tlie  publick  a  number  of  his  oc- 
casional discourses,  which  have  been  favourably  re- 
ceived. .  An  expectation  therefore,  has  probably  been 
cherished,  that  a  volume  of  his  Sermons  would  be  a 
valuable  acquisition  to  the  Church  of  Christ.  This 
expectation,  it  is  believed,  the  volume  now  offered  to 
the  publick,  will  not  disappoint. 


iv  PREFACE. 

It  ought  however  to  be  understood,  that  the  follow- 
ing sermons  were  composed  by  the  author,  and  deliver- 
ed to  the  congregation  under  his  particular  care,  in  the 
ordinary  discharge  of  his  duties,  probably  with  no  ex- 
pectation of  their  ever  being  published  from  the  press. 
They  were  written  of  course,  not  to  be  subjected  to  the 
examination  of  the  critic,  nor  to  entertain  the  learned, 
but  for  the  instruction  and  edification  of  common  hear- 
ers ;  and  they  are  precisely  such  as  might  be  expected 
from  the  pen  of  Dr.  Worcester,  under  such  circum- 
stances. 

Though  these  sermons  were  all  written  out  in  full, 
and  perhaps  with  as  much  correctness  as  is  usual  in 
similar  circumstances,  yet  they  needed  careful  revision 
and  correction,  in  order  to  fit  them  for  publication  : — 
and  though  he  to  wliose  lot  it  has  fallen  to  perform  this 
service,  is  conscious  of  having  executed  it  with  the 
strictest  fidelity,  yet  the  work  must  undoubtedly  appear 
to  much  less  advantage,  than  if  it  had  been  prepared 
for  the  press  by  the  author. 

It  is  an  age,  in  which  no  little  diversity  of  sentiment 
subsists,  even  among  the  real  followers  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  on  many  Theological  subjects.  It  is  not  to  be 
expected,  therefore,  that  all  christians  will  find  eve- 
ry thing  contained  in  these  sermons  to  harmonize  ex- 
actly with  their  own  views.  Yet  it  is  believed  they 
can  scarcely  fail  of  being,  generally,  very  acceptable  to 
the  humble  believer,  of  whatever  christian  commu- 
nion j  and  that  they  will  prove  a  means   of  strength- 


PREFACE.  V 

euiog  his  faith,  of  enlivening  his  zeal,  of  securing  him 
against  the  influence  of  temptations,  of  comforting  Iiim 
under  sorrows,  and  of  preparing  him  for  the  world  of 
glory.  Nor  will  they  be  found  any  less  calculated  to 
awaken  the  careless  sinner,  to  make  him  feel  the  im- 
portance of  attending  to  the  things  which  belong  to  his 
peace,  and  to  guide  him  in  the  way  of  life  eternal. 

In  these  discourses  the  lamented  author  ^^  being 
dead  yet  speaketh  ;"  and  it  is  devoutly  hoped  it  will 
not  be  in  vain,  as  it  regards  the  christian  community, 
and  especially  the  numerous  members  of  tliat  beloved 
congregation,  to  whom,  while  living,  he  ministered  with 
the  most  tender  solicitude  for  their  eternal  welfare  : 
and  from  whom  he  received  the  most  abundant  expres- 
sions of  affection  and  respect. 


CONTENTS. 


SERMON  I. 

Divine  glory  displayed  in  the  System  of  Nature. 
Psalm  XIX.  1. — The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God.  .  .  17 

SERMON  II. 

The  Creation  of  Man  an  important  work  of  God. 
Isaiah  xlv.  12. — /  have  made  the  earth,  and  created  man 
upon  it.  ........  32 

SERMON  III. 

A  view  of  the  Divine  glory  self-abasing. 

Isaiah  vi.  5. — Then  said  T,  Wo  is  me !  for  I  am  undone  ; 
because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  a  people  of  unclean  lips  :  for  mine  eyes  have  seen 
the  King,  the  Lord  of  hosts.         .....      44 

SERMON  IV. 

Sin  exceeding  Sinful. 

Romans  vii.  13. — TTiat  sin  by  the  commandment  might  be- 
come exceeding  sinful.         ......       55 


viii  CONTENTS. 

SERMON  V. 

Progress  in  Sin. 

2  Kings  viii.  13. — But  what!  is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that 
he  should  do  this  great  thing  ?         .         .         .         .  64 

SERMON  VI. 

God's  thoughts  and  ways  higher  than  ours. 

Isaiah  lv.  8,  9. — For  my  thoxights  are  not  your  thoughts, 
neither  are  your  ivays  my  ivays^  saith  the  Lord  :  For  as 
the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  my  xoays 
higher  than  your  ivays,  and  my  thoughts  than  your 
thoughts.         ........  75 

SERMON  VII. 

Access  to  God. 

Hebrews  x.  19 — 22. — Having,  therefore,  brethren,  bold- 
ness to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a 
new  and  living  way,  which  he  hath  consecrated  for  us, 
through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  jiesh  ;  and  having  an 
High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God  ;  let  us  draw  near 
with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our 
hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies 
washed  with  pure  water.  .....  86 

SERMON  VIII. 

The  good  Way. 

Jeremiah  vi.  16. — Thus  saith  the  Lord,  stand  ye  in  the 
loays  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old  paths,  where  is  the 
good  way,  and  walk  therein,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  for 
i/our  souls.         ........       95 


CONTENTS.  ix 

SERMON  IX. 

Fallow  ground  to  be  broken  up  and  sown  in  Righteousness. 

HosEA  X.  12. — Sow  to  yourselves  in  righteousness,  reap  in 
mercy ;  break  up  your  fallow  ground  :  for  it  is  time  to 
seek  the  Lord,  till  he  come  and  rain  righteousness  upon 
you 106 

SERMON  X. 

Fallow  ground  to  be  broken  up  and  sown  in  Righteousness. 

HosEA  X.  12. — Sow  to  yourselves  in  righteousness,  reap  in 
mercy  ;  break  up  your  fallow  ground  :  for  it  is  time  to 
seek  the  Lord,  till  he  come  and  rain  righteousness  upon 
you.         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .113 

SERMON  XI. 

The  Gospel  a  perfect  law  of  Liberty. 

James  i.  25. — But  whoso  looketh  into  the  perfect  law  of 
liberty,  and  continueth  therein,  he,  being  not  a  forgetful 
hearer,  but  a  doer  of  the  work,  this  man  shall  be  blessed 
in  his  deed.  .......  122 

SERMON  XII. 

Sorrow,  Godly  and  Worldly. 

2  Corinthians  VII.  10. — For  godly  sorrow  worketh  re- 
pentance to  salvation,  not  to  be  repented  of;  but  the  sor- 
row of  the  world  worketh  death.  .         .         .  137 


SERMON  XIII. 

Glorying  only  in  the  Cross. 
Galatians  VI.  14. — But  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory, 
save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesii^t  Christ.         .         .        14f» 


X  CONTENTS. 

SERMON  XIV. 

God's  house  to  be  Reverenced. 
EccLEsiASTES  V.  1. — Keep  thy  foot  when  thou  goest  to  the 
house  of  God.         .......        163 

SERMON  XV. 

Jesus  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus. 
John  xi.  35. — Jesm  Wept 179 

SERMON  XVI. 

Drawing  Back. 
Hebrews  x.  38. — But  if  any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall 
have  no  pleasure  in  him.         .         .         .         .         .  189 

SERMON  XVII. 

The  end  of  them  that  obey  not  the  Gospel. 
1  Peter  iv.  17. —  What  shall  the  end  be  of  them  that  obey 
not  the  gospel  of  God  ? 201 

SERMON  XVIII. 

Glory  of  Christ  in  his  humiliation. 
.ToHN  I.  14. — And  we  beheld  his  glory,   the  glory  as  of  the 
only  begotten  of  the  Father.  .         .         .         .         213 

SERMON  XIX. 

Christ  the  Lamb  of  God. 
John  i.  29. — Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world.         ......        223 


CONTENTS.  ^f 

SERMON  XX. 

Believers  bought  with  a  price. 

1  Corinthians  vii.  23. —  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price.         237 

SERMON  XXI. 

Demonstration  that  God  is  Love. 

1  John  iv.  10. — Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but 
that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins.         .......         24,9. 

SERMON  XXII. 

Ascension  of  Christ. 
Acts  i.  9. — jlnd  when  he  had  spoken  these  things,  while 
they  beheld  he  was  taken  up,   and  a  cloud  received  him 
out  of  their  sight.         .......         261 

SERMON  XXIII. 

Nature  of  Repentance. 
Jeremiah  xxxi.  18,  19. — /  have  surely  heard  Ephraim  be- 
moaning himself  thus ;  Thou  hast  chastised  me,  and  I 
was  chastised,  as  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to  the  yoke. 
Turn  thou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned  ;  for  thou  art  the 
Lord  my  God.  Surely,  after  that  I  was  turned,  I  re- 
pented ;  and  after  that  I  was  instructed,  I  smote  upon 
my  thigh  ;  1  was  ashamed,  yea  even  confounded,  because 
I  did  bear  the  reproach  of  my  youth.         .         ,         .         272 

SERMON  XXIV. 

Importance  of  Repentance. 

Mark  vi.  12. — Jlnd  they  went  out,  and  preached  that  men 
should  repent. 283 


xii  eONTENTS. 

SERMON  XXV. 

The  goodness  of  God  an  inducement  to  Repentance. 
Romans  ii.  4. — Or  despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his  good- 
ness, and  forbearance,  and  long-suffering  ;  not  knowing 
thai  the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance  9        295 

SERMON  XXVI. 

The  Spiritual  Meat  and  Spiritual  Drink  of  Israel. 

1  Corinthians  x.  3,  4. — And  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual 
meat ;  and  did  all  drink  the  same  spiritual  drink :  for 
they  drank  of  that  spiritual  rock  that  followed  them  ;  and 
that  rock  was  Christ.         ......      30ft 

SERMON  XXVII. 

The  Temple  of  God. 

1  Peter  ii.  4,  5. — To  whom  coming,  as  unto  a  living 
stone,  disallowed  indeed  of  men,  hut  chosen  of  God  and 
precious,  ye  also,  as  lively  stones,  are  built  up  a  spiritual 
house,  an  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices, 
acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ.  .         .         .         317 

SERMON  XXVIII. 

Privileges  of  Believers  under  the  Gospel. 

Hebrews  xii.  22,  23,  24. — But  ye  are  come  unto  Mount 
Zion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innumerable  compaiiy  of  angels,  to 
the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born,  which 
are  written  in  heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and 
to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and  to  Jesus  the 
Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  the  blood  of  sprink- 
ling, that  speakeih  better  things  than  that  of  Abel.     .     .    336 


CONTENTS.  xlii 

SERMON  XXIX. 

Communion  in  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ. 
1  Corinthians  x.  1G. — The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless, 
is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?     The 
bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the 
body  of  Christ? 350 

SERMON  XXX. 

Paul's  benevolence  towards  his  Nation. 

Romans  ix.  1 — 5. — I  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not,  my 
conscience  also  bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  I  have  great  heaviness,  and  continual  sorrow  in  my 
heart :  For  I  could  wish  that  myself  were  accursed  from 
Christ  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen  according  to  the 
flesh  ;  who  are  Israelites,  to  whom  pertaineth  the  adop- 
tion, and  the  glory,  and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of 
the  law,  and  the  service  of  God,  and  the  promises  ;  lohose 
are  the  fathers,  and  ofivhom,  as  concerning  the  flesh, 
Christ  came,  who  is  God  over  all,  blessed  forever. 
Amen.  ........  363 

SERIMON  XXXI. 

Divine  glory  displayed  in  building  up  Zion. 
Psalm  cii.  16. —  When  the  Lord  shall  build  up  Zion,  he 
shall  appear  in  his  glory.         .....        375 

SERMON  XXXII. 

Abraham  offering  up  Isaac. 
Hebrews  xi.  17. — By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  tried, 
offered  up  Isaac .      389 


xiv  CONTENTS. 

SERMON  XXXIIL 

God's  feelings  towards  the  Wicked. 
EzEKiEL  xxxin.  11. — As  Hive  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have 
no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked  ;  but  that  the  wick- 
ed turn  from  his  way  and  live.         .         .         •         .         405 


SERMON  XXXIV. 

Great  question  of  Circumcision. 

Acts  xv.  30,  31. — So  when  they  were  dismissed,  they  came 
to  Antioch  ;  and  when  they  had  gathered  the  multitude 
together,  they  delivered  the  epistle  ;  which  ivhen  they  had 
read,  they  rejoiced  for  the  consolation.         .         .         »      422 

SERMON  XXXV. 

Importance  of  early  Religion, 
t  Kings  xviii.  12. — But  I  thy  servant  fear  the  Lord  from 
my  youth.         ........      440 


SERMON  XXXVI. 

Necessity  of  Regeneration. 
John  hi.  6,  7. —  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh  ; 
and  that  which   is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.     Marvel 
not  that  I  said  unto  thee,  Ye  must  be  born  again.     .     .     452 


SERMON  XXXVII. 

Our  griefs  and  sorrows  borne  by  Christ. 

It^AiAH,  LiH.  4. — Surely  hehath  home  our  griefs,  and  car- 
ried our  sorrows.         .......     46T 


CONTENTS.  XV 

SERMON  XXXVIII. 

Importance  of  being  kept  in  the  Truth. 

.John  xvii.  1). — t^nd  now  lam  no  more  in  the  world,  but 
these  are  in  the  world,  and  I  come  to  thee.  Holy  Father, 
keep  through  thine  oicn  name  those  ivhom  thou  hast  given 
me,  that  they  may  be  one,  as  we  are.         .         .         .         478 

SERIMON  XXXIX. 

Man  a  Sojourner. 
Psalm  xxxix.  12. — For  I  am  a  stranger  with  thee,  a  so- 
journer, as  all  my  fathers  were.         ....        490 


"ffv      .Q; 


SERMON  I. 


DIVINE  GLORY  DISPLAYED  IN  THE   SYSTEM  OF  NATrRE. 


Psalm  xix.  1. 
The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God. 

X  HE  glory  of  God  is  the  highest  interest  of  the  universe,  and 
the  devout  celebration  of  it  is  the  noblest  employment  of  created 
inteUigences.  It  is  when  they  are  engaged  in  this  employment, 
that  good  men  on  earth  are  raised  to  a  participation  of  the  dignity 
and  happiness  of  the  holy  inhabitants  of  heaven.  It  is  in  the 
various  works  of  God,  that  his  glory  is  seen  ;  and  it  is  for  the 
manifestation  of  his  glory,  that  all  his  various  works  are  performed. 
The  principalities  and  powers  in  heaverdy  places  prostrate  them- 
selves, and  worship  him  that  liveth  forever  and  ever,  and  cast  their 
crowns  before  the  throne,  saying,  Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to 
receive  glory,  and  honour,  and  power  ;  for  thou  hast  created  all 
things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were  created.  Upon 
this  same  exalted  theme,  the  sweet  Psalmist  of  Israel,  who  has 
given  a  lead  to  the  devotions  and  high  praises  of  the  church  on 
earth,  in  every  succeeding  age,  dehghted  to  dwell.  Descants 
upon  the  divine  works,  as  declarative  of  the  divine  glory,  consti- 
tute a  very  considerable  part  of  his  inspired  psalms.  Of  this 
nature,  particularly,  are  the  first  six  verses  of  the  beautiful  and 
subhme  psalm,  of  which  the  text  is  the  beginning.  The  heavens 
declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament  rJiowdh  his  hftndi/ 
3    " 


18  SERMON  I. 

work.  Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech,  and  night  unto  night 
showcth  knowledge.  There  is  no  speech  nor  language,  where 
their  voice  is  not  heard.  Their  line  is  gone  out  through  all  the 
earthy  and  their  words  to  the  end  of  the  world.  In  them  hath  he 
set  a  tabernacle  for  the  sun,  which  as  a  bridegroom  coming  out 
of  his  chamber,  rejoiceth  as  a  strong  man  to  run  a  race.  His 
going  forth  is  from  the  end  of  the  heaven,  and  his  circuit  unto  the 
ends  of  it,  and  there  is  nothing  hid  from  the  heat  thereof. 

The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God.  The  word  heaven, 
in  the  plural  heavens,  is  used  in  the  scriptures  in  different  senses. 
Sometimes  it  means  that  part  of  the  universe,  that  glorious  holy 
place,  where  Jehovah  has  fixed  his  more  special  abode,  and 
where  angels  and  glorified  spirits  dwell,  in  the  imperishable 
mansions  of  bliss.  Sometimes  it  means  no  more  than  the  upper 
regions  of  our  atmosphere,  where  the  clouds  are  formed,  where 
the  vai'ious  meteors  are  exhibited,  or  even  where  the  birds, 
which  thence  are  called  the  birds  of  heaven,  fly.  And  some- 
times it  means  those  higher  and  immeasurable  regions,  where 
the  sun  and  the  moon,  the  planets,  and  the  countless  host  of  the 
stars,  with  all  their  radiant  glories,  are  displayed.  In  this  last 
sense,  evidently,  the  word  heavens  is  used  in  our  text.  The 
heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God.  That  is,  the  sun,  the  moon, 
the  stars,  all  the  stupendous  orbs,  which  stud  the  lofty  firmament, 
and  which  move  and  shine  throughout  the  unmeasured  re- 
gions of  space,  proclaim  the  existence,  and  show  forth  the  per- 
fections of  the  divine  Creator. 

I  shall  attempt  in  the  sequel,  to  illustrate  the  sentiment  of  the 
text,  that  THE  SYSTEM  OF  NATURE,  including  the  earth,  which  is 
itself  but  a  planetary  orb,  and  the  visible  heavens,   i>oes  really 

DECLARE,  OR  SHOW  FORTH,  THE  GLORY  OF  GoD. 

Glory  is  either  intrinsick,  or  declarative.  The  intrinsick  or 
essential  glory  of  God,  consists  in  the  adorable  excellencies,  at- 
tributes, or  perfections  of  his  nature.  His  declarative  glory  con- 
sists in  the  manifestation  which  he  makes  of  his  infinite  attributes, 
or  perfections,  in  his  great  and  wonderful  works.  It  is  the  in- 
trinsick or  essential  glory  of  God,  which  the  heavens  declare. 
The  stupendous  works  of  nature  declare,  or  show  forth  the 


SERMON  I.  19 

adorable  perfections  of  Jehovah,  particularly,  his  infinite  power, 
his  infinite  wisdom,  and  his  infinite  goodness. 

I.  The  system  of  nature  declares,  or  shows  forth,  God's 
infinite  power. 

In  the  beginning,  God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth. 
That  the  whole  system  of  the  universe  had  a  beginning  is  clear, 
both  from  the  deductions  of  reason,  and  the  declarations  of 
scripture.  The  notion  of  some  of  the  ancient,  and  of  some  of 
the  modern  philosophers,  that  the  universe  existed  from  eternity, 
is  as  chimerical  and  absurd,  as  it  is  repugnant  to  the  oracles  of 
divine  truth.  When,  in  the  light  of  history  sacred  and  profane, 
we  look  back  upon  past  ages  and  generations,  we  cannot  but  see 
the  most  plenary  evidence,  that  this  world,  with  all  it  contains, 
the  race  of  mankind,  and  the  various  animal  tribes,  had  a  be- 
ginning ;  we  cannot,  indeed,  but  see  evidence,  that  the  beginning 
of  the  world  could  not  have  been  earlier  than  what,  according 
to  the  scripture  chronology,  it  is  made  out  to  have  been,  that  is, 
somewhat  less  than  six  thousand  years  ago.  Besides,  to  sup- 
pose that  this  world,  and  all  other  worlds,  that  the  race  of  man- 
kind, and  all  other  races  and  orders  of  beings,  throughout  the 
universe,  have  existed  from  eternity,  involves  the  greatest  possi- 
ble absurdities  and  contradictions.  The  world,  then,  the  earth 
and  the  heavens,  and  the  whole  system  of  nature,  had  a  begin- 
ning. Before  creation  was  begun,  Jehovah  inhabited  eternity, 
independently  and  perfectly  blessed  in  the  infinite  benevolence 
of  his  nature,  in  his  unchangeable  purposes,  and  in  the  contem- 
plation of  the  wonderful  works,  which,  for  the  glory  of  his  name, 
he  would,  in  their  due  order  perform. 

When  the  period  arrived,  at  which  he  had  determined  to 
give  being  to  a  dependent  universe,  he  spake,  and  it  teas  done  ; 
he  commanded,  and  it  stood  fast.  At  his  omnifick  word,  the  im- 
mense chaotick  mass  of  matter,  of  which  unnumbered  worlds 
were  to  be  made,  sprang  from  nothing  into  being  ;  from  this 
chaotick  mass,  the  sun,  the  moon,  the  earth,  and  all  the  planeta- 
ry globes,  were  formed  ;  the  sun  was  fixed  in  his  place,  as  the 
common  centre  of  the  system,  and  the  earth  and  all  the  planets, 
thrown  forth  from  the  plastick  hand  of  their  Creator  into  their 


2D  SERMON   1. 

several  orbits,  commenced  their  stupendous  revolutions.     God 

said,  Let  there  he  light,  and  there  was  light God  said, 

Let  the  ivaters  under  the  heaven  be  gathered  together  into  one 

place,  and  let  the  dry  land  appear ;  and  it  was  so God 

said.  Let  the  earth  bring  forth  grass,  the  herb  yielding  seed,  and 
the  fruit  tree  yielding  fruit  after  his  kind,  whose  seed  is  in  itself 

upon  the  earth  ;    and  it  was  so God  said.  Let  there  he 

lights  in  the  firmament  of  the  heaven,  to  divide  the  day  from  the 
night ;  and  let  them  he  for  signs,  and  for  seasons,  and  for  days, 
and  years.     And  let  them  be  for  lights  in  the  firmament  of  the 

heaven,  to  give  light  upon  the  earth  ;  and  it  was  so God 

said.  Let  the  waters  bring  forth  abundantly  th^  moving  creature 
that  hath  life,  andfoivl  that  may  fly  above  the  earth  in  the  open 

firmament  of  heaven  ;    and  it  was  so God  said.  Let  the 

earth  bring  forth  the  living  creature  after  his  kind,  cattle  and 
creeping  thing,  and  beast  of  the  earth  after  his  kind  ;  and  it  was 

so God  said,  Let  us  make  man  in  our  own  image,  after 

our  own  likeness ;  and  man  sprang  up  from  the  dust  of  the  earth, 
in  the  image  of  his  Maker.  Thus,  by  the  fiat  of  God,  were  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  created,  and  all  the  host  of  them.  And, 
what  majestick  displays  of  divine  power  are  here  ! 

Carry  back  your  contemplations,  my  brethren,  to  this  scene 
of  wonders.  The  immensity  of  space  an  immeasurable  void ; 
not  a  being,  not  a  thing  existing,  besides  him,  who  inhabiteth 
eternity.  In  a  moment,  at  his  word,  the  immense  mass  of  un- 
formed matter  starts  into  being.  Suns,  and  stars,  and  planets, 
are  formed,  and  fixed  in  their  stations,  or  launched  into  their 
orbits,  to  run  their  appointed  courses  in  perpetual  circuit  through 
the  heavens.  From  primeval  darkness,  light  bursts  forth  to 
cheer  the  new  creation.  The  earth  is  enriched  and  adorned 
with  all  the  treasures  and  beauties  of  the  mineral  and  vegetable 
kingdoms.  The  diamond  glitters  in  its  bed  ;  the  hills  are  cloth- 
ed with  grass  and  the  valleys  with  corn  ;  the  lily  and  the  rose 
unfold  their  beauties  to  the  day  ;  and  the  fruit  tree  and  the  vine 
present  their  rich,  their  delicious  products.  The  air,  the  earth, 
and  the  waters,  are  peopled  with  numberless  species  of  animal 
■and  sensitive  beings  ;  birds,  insects,  beasts,  and  fishes,  of  every 


SERMON  I.  21 

tlescription.  Last  of  all,  man  comes  forth  from  his  Maker's 
hand,  as  lord  of  this  lower  creation ;  looks  round  in  pleasing 
astonishment ;  surveys  the  shining  heavens,  and  the  beautifully 
variegated  earth,  all  finished  in  perfection  ;  then  turns,  as  by 
divine  inspiration  directed,  and  adores  the  mighty  power  which 
created  and  arranged  the  stupendous  whole.  Contemplate  this 
amazing  work,  and  say.  Does  not  the  system  of  nature  declare 
the  power  of  God  ?  What  power,  short  of  infinhe,  could  create  a 
single  particle  of  matter?  What  shall  we  think,  then,  of  the 
creation  of  worlds  ?  What  power,  short  of  infinite,  could  form 
the  meanest  insect?  What,  then,  shall  we  think  of  the  formation 
of  the  whole  magnificent  and  unmeasured  universe  f  We  arc 
overwhelmed,  we  are  lost  in  the  contemplation  ! 

It  should  be  considered,  moreover,  that,  by  the  same  divine 
power,  by  which  the  great  fabrick  of  the  universe  was  first  built, 
it  is  constantly  upheld  in  being,  and  its  whole  order  and  economy 
are  preserved.  Should  this  power  fail  of  its  wonted  exertion, 
nature  would  be  instantly  unhinged,  and  the  whole  created  sys- 
tem would  rush  into  confusion  and  ruin.  Should  it  be  entirely 
suspended,  the  whole  fabrick  would  drop  into  nonexistence. 
What  a  display  of  divine  power  do  we  behold,  then,  in  the 
preservation  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth  !  What  a  display  of  it, 
in  upholding  for  thousands  of  years,  such  an  amazing  system  of 
worlds,  and  of  beings  !  What  a  display  of  it,  in  so  preserving  the 
order  and  economy  of  nature,  that  all  the  heavenly  orbs  perform 
their  revolutions,  from  period  to  period,  with  most  perfect  regu- 
larity !  What  a  display  of  it,  in  renewing  the  seasons,  with  all 
their  various  exhibitions,  from  year  to  year,  and  in  perpetuating 
the  race  of  mankind,  and  all  the  numberless  tribes  of  diversified 
being  !  Surely,  the  heavens  declare  the  glorious  poiver  of  God, 
and  the  earth  is  full  of  his  wonderful  works. 

II.  The  system  of  nature  declares,  or  shows  forth,  not  only 
the  power,  but  also,  the  wisdoin  of  God. 

When  we  survey  a  piece  of  mechanism,  of  curious  and  com- 
plicated workmanship,  constructed,  throughout,  with  the  most 
perfect  contrivance,  and  adapted,  in  every  part,  to  the  useful 
purpose  for  which  it  was  intended,  we  do  not  hesitate  to  pro- 


22  SERMON    I. 

noiince  it  a  display  of  great  ingenuity  and  wisdom.  What,  then, 
shall  we  say  of  the  structure  of  the  created  universe  t  Perfectly 
to  investigate  the  system  of  nature,  minutely  to  sun-ey  it  in  all 
its  parts,  and  fully  to  comprehend  its  vast  and  diversified  opera- 
tions, immeasurahly  transcends  the  limited  powers  of  the  human 
mind.  It  is  only  a  very  small  part  of  this  great  whole,  which 
falls  within  our  ohservation  ;  and  it  is  but  little  of  what  we  do 
see  and  observe,  that  we  understand  and  comprehend.  Hence, 
our  views  of  the  divine  wisdom,  as  manifested  in  the  works  of 
creation,  must  fall  infinitely  short  of  the  glorious  extent  of  what 
is  really  displayed.  The  least  instructed,  however,  and  the  least 
attentive  observer  of  the  system  of  nature,  cannot  but  be  con- 
vinced, that  the  great  Author  is  a  being  of  infinite  wisdom  ;  and 
the  more  we  attend  to  the  subject,  and  the  farther  we  carry  our 
researches,  the  more  of  his  infinite  wisdom  shall  we  see  to  admire 
and  to  praise.  Upon  the  slightest  survey  of  the  works  of  crea- 
tion, who  can  fail  to  perceive  the  most  striking  and  illustrious 
demonstrations  of  skilful  contrivance,  and  of  wise  design  ?  Is 
there  not  a  glorious  display  of  divine  wisdom  in  the  general  struc- 
ture of  the  universe  ;  in  so  disposing  the  vast  orbs,  which  com- 
pose the  great  system,  as  that  the  sun  shall  preserve  his  station, 
and  all  the  planets  revolve  around  him,  in  the  most  perfect  and 
harmonious  order,  and  in  all  their  revolutions,  receive  the  im- 
mense benefit  of  his  light  and  heat  ?  Had  not  infinite  wisdom 
been  concerned  in  establishing  the  economy  of  the  system,  the 
sun  and  the  planets  might  have  been  so  disposed,  as  to  have 
wandered  without  order,  through  the  trackless  regions  of  space, 
or  so  to  interfere,  as  to  dash  one  another  in  pieces,  and  produce 
universal  confusion  and  ruin.  Is  there  not  an  admirable  display 
■of  divine  wisdom,  in  so  framing  and  ordering  the  system,  as  to 
make  the  sun  regularly  to  rule  the  day,  and  the  moon  and  the 
stars  to  ride  the  night  ?  Had  not  wisdom  been  concerned  in 
regulating  the  whole,  this  earth  might  have  been  left  totally  with- 
out light  and  heat,  and,  therefore,  totally  uninhabitable.  Is  there 
not  an  admirable  display  of  divine  wisdom,  in  so  regulating  the 
system,  as  to  produce  various  chmates,  suited  to  various  useful 
productions,  and  regularly  to  exhibit  the  various  seasons,  with  all 


SERMON   I.  2S 

ihelr  varieties  for  support,  for  happiness,  and  for  instruction  ? 
Had  not  wisdom  been  concerned  in  this,  also,  the  disposal  of  the 
earth  might  have  been  such  as  to  have  exhibited  a  perpetual 
uniformity,  and  a  cheerless  sterility ;  or  else  to  have  been  so 
irregular  in  its  seasons  and  changes,  as  to  have  rendered  it  im- 
possible for  men  to  make  any  calculations  in  their  various  pur- 
suits, or  any  improvements  in  the  arts  of  life.  Were  it  not  for 
the  regular  economy  of  nature,  we  should  never  know  when  ta 
expect  light  or  darkness,  or  summer  or  winter,  or  cold  or  heat ;. 
and,  therefore,  should  be  in  no  situation  to  make  any  useful  cal- 
culations, or  improvements.  And  if  divine  wisdom  appears  in  the 
structure  and  economy  of  nature,  thus  viewed  upon  an  extensive 
scale  ;  does  it  not,  also,  appear  in  every  part  of  this  great  whole .'' 
Look  into  the  mineral  kingdom ;  look  into  the  vegetable  ;  look 
into  the  animal.  Was  not  infinite  wisdom  employed  in  giving 
to  the  gem  its  lustre  ;  in  giving  to  the  flower  its  beautiful  tints  ; 
in  giving  to  the  animal  its  wonderful  organization  ?  Even  in 
tliose  parts  of  nature  which  appear  to  us  more  deformed,  and 
the  utility  of  which  is  not  so  readily  perceived,  may  we  not  still 
discover  some  important  and  wise  design.''  Yes  ;  "there  is  not 
a  creature  that  moves,  not  a  vegetable  that  grows,  but,  when 
tninutely  examined,  furnishes  materials  for  the  highest  admira- 
tion- The  same  wisdom  that  placed  the  sun  in  the  centre  of  the 
system,  and  arranged  the  several  planets  around  him  in  their 
order,  has  no  less  shown  itself  in  the  provision  made  for  the  food 
and  dwelling  of  every  bird  that  roams  the  air,  of  every  beast  that 
wanders  in  the  desart,  and  of  every  fish  that  swims  the  ocean  ; 
equally  great  in  the  smallest,  and  in  the  most  magnificent  ob- 
jects ;  in  the  star  and  in  the  insect ;  in  the  elephant  and  in  the 
fly  ;  in  the  beam  that  shines  from  heaven,  and  in  the  grass  that 
clothes  the  ground."  O  Lord,  hoio  excellent  is  thy  name  in  all 
the  earth!  How  manifold  are  thy  works  !  In  wisdom  hast  thou 
made  them  all ! 

III.  The  system  of  nature  show^s  forth,  also,  the  goodness  of 
Ood. 

This  appears,  I  trust,  with  no   small  degree  of  clearness, 
from  the  rajjid  view  of  the  system,  wliicli  has  already  been  pre- 


^i4  SERMON  I. 

sentecl.  For  what  pw^jose  did  the  infmite  Creator  give  exist>- 
cnce  to  this  majcstick  monument  of  his  ahnighty  power  ?  For 
what  purpose  did  he  create  the  earth  and  the  heavens,  witli  all 
their  unnumbered  hosts  ?  Was  it  not,  evidently,  that  he  might 
communicate  happiness  ;  and  does  not  this  design  appear  con- 
spicuous on  the  open  face  of  nature  f  What  is  the  plain  and  un- 
equivocal indication  of  all  those  marks  of  infinite  wisdom,  and 
of  skilful  contrivance,  in  the  general  dispositions,  and  in  all  the 
parts  of  surrounding  nature  ?  Is  it  not,  that  the  Creator  of  all 
things  is  infinitely  good  ?  Is  there  not  a  display  of  infinite  good- 
ness, in  the  regular  and  harmonious  disposition  of  the  heavenly 
orbs  f  Instead  of  this  beautiful  order,  why  was  there  not  the 
most  horrible  confusion  ?  Instead  of  this  benignant  harmony  of 
the  spheres,  why  was  there  not  a  perpetual  jar,  and  the  most 
disastrous  concussion  ?  Is  there  not  a  display  of  infinite  goodness 
in  the  grandeur  and  beauty  of  the  creation,  so  favourably  adapted 
to  elevate,  to  inspire  with  admiration,  and  to  fill  with  the  purest 
pleasure,  the  devout  and  contemplative  mind  ?  Why  was  not  the 
whole  creation  so  formed  as  only  to  excite  amazement,  terror, 
and  despair  ?  Is  there  not  a  display  of  infinite  goodness  in  the 
beautiful  scenery  of  our  globe,  so  agreeably  diversified  with  con- 
tinents and  seas,  islands  and  lakes,  mountains  and  plains,  hills 
and  valleys,  adapted  to  various  beneficial  purposes,  and  abound- 
ing with  productions,  in  endless  variety,  for  the  convenience,  the 
support,  and  the  happiness,  of  its  diversified  inhabitants  ?  Why 
was  not  the  whole  earth  like  the  burning  sands  of  Libya,  or  the 
rugged  and  frozen  mountains  of  Zembla  ?  Why  was  it  not  one 
wide  and  dreary  waste,  producing  only  briers  and  thorns,  and 
poisonous  or  bitter  fruits  ?  Is  there  not  a  display  of  infinite  good- 
ness in  the  grateful  vicissitude  of  the  seasons,  each  bearing  upon 
its  bosom  its  peculiar  delights  ;  the  spring  arrayed  in  the  most 
beautiful  verdure,  and  decorated  with  flowers ;  the  summer 
abounding  with  delightful  prospects,  and  teeming  with  luxuriance ; 
autumn  loaded  with  golden  harvests,  and  the  richest  variety  of 
fruits ;  and  even  winter  supplying  in  social  enjoyments,  and  the 
nobler  pleasures  of  study  and  contemplation,  what  it  lacks  in  ex- 
ternal charms  ?  Why  was  not  the  whole  year  one  continued  scene 


SERMON  I.  ^5 

of  dull  uniformity,  or  so  irregular  in  its  changes  as  utterly  to 
baffle  all  the  calculations,  and  arrangements,  and  pursuits  of 
life  ?  Why  was  not  every  sight  a  spectacle  of  horror,  every 
sound  a  shriek  of  distress,  every  sweet  a  most  pungent  bitter, 
every  gale  a  blast  of  pestilence  ?  Is  it  not  because  the  Creator 
and  Preserver  of  the  world  is  a  being  of  infinite  goodness  f  And 
when  we  take  into  consideration  the  reference  which  is  had,  in 
the  disposition  and  conduct  of  the  natural  vvorld,  to  the  accom- 
modation of  mankind ;  a  fallen  rebellious  race  of  beings,  under 
a  forfeiture  of  every  divine  favour,  and  deserving  of  nothing  but 
tribulation  and  anguish,  redeemed  from  wrath  only  by  the  blood 
of  the  cross,  and  reconciled  to  God  only  by  a  dispensation  of 
sovereign  grace ;  shall  we  not  see  the  most  abundant  and  im- 
pressive reason  to  admire  and  to  extol  the  displays  of  the  divine 
goodness,  in  all  the  kindly  influences  of  the  heavens  upon  us, 
and  in  all  the  numberless  blessings,  with  which  the  eartli 
abounds  ?  Surely,  the  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the 
earth  is  full  of  his  riches. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  We  may  see  the  reasonableness  and  importance  of  main- 
taining a  constant  and  lively  sense  of  our  owii  dependence,  and 
of  the  dependence  of  all  things,  upon  God. 

Is  God  the  Creator  and  the  Preserver  of  the  whole  universe, 
and  shall  he  not  be  seen  and  acknowledged,  by  his  intelligent 
and  moral  creatures,  in  all  his  works  ?  Do  the  heavens  declare 
his  glory,  and  is  the  earth  filled  with  his  goodness  ;  are  his  adora- 
ble perfections  displayed  in  every  pai't  of  the  surrounding  crea- 
tion ;  and  shall  we  not  be  sensible  of  his  presence,  and  religious- 
ly regard  the  operation  of  his  hands  ?  He  who  created  the  worlds, 
still  upholds  them  in  being.  He  who  fixed  the  sun  in  his  place, 
who  threw  the  planetary  globes  into  their  orbits,  and  who  ap- 
pointed all  the  ordinances  of  heaven,  still  preserves  the  order 
and  the  economy  of  nature.  He  still  bringcth  forth  Ma-zaroth 
in  his  season,  and  guideth  Arcturus  ivith  his  sons.  The  rising 
and  the  setting  sun,  the  changing  moon,  the  revolving  seasons, 
all  the  vicissitudes  and  productions  of  nature,   declare  the  con- 


iti  SERMON  I. 

slant  presence,  the  unremitting  agency,  the  ever  enduring  good- 
ness of  God. 

How  large  a  proportion  of  mankind,  my  brethren,  are  prac- 
tical, though  not  theoretical  Atheists  !  How  large  a  proportion 
of  mankind  live  without  God  in  the  world  ;  and,  though  daily 
dependent  on  him  for  hfe,  and  breath,  and  all  things,  are  still 
altogether  forgetful  of  the  Rock  that  begat  them,  unmindful  of 
his  goodness,  unobservant  of  his  operations,  and  insensible  of 
their  constant  dependence  on  him !  Because  the  course  of  nature 
proceeds  on  regularly,  the  sun  rises  and  sets  in  his  season,  seed 
time  and  harvest,  and  cold  and  heat,  and  summer  and  winter,  and 
day  and  night,  fail  not  of  their  regular  returns,  therefore  man, 
foolish  and  sottish  man,  lives,  and  feels,  and  acts,  as  if  in  all  this 
order  and  economy,  the  God  of  nature  had  no  agency  or  concern. 
If  any  thing  remarkably  unusual,  or  alarming,  occur  in  the 
natural  world  ;  if  the  rain  of  heaven  be  withholden ;  if  the  frost 
or  the  blast  cut  off  the  expectations  of  the  year  ;  if  the  cloud 
surcharged  with  the  lightning  and  the  thunder  immediately  im- 
pend ;  if  the  tornado  sweep  the  desolated  land  j  if  the  baleful 
pestilence  spread  through  cities  and  villages ;  if  some  comet 
show  its  portentous  glare  ;  or  even  if  the  luminaries  of  heaven 
undergo  an  eclipse,  how  many  will  awake,  and  acknowledge  the 
hand  of  God,  who,  while  all  things  proceed  on  in  their  usual 
course,  habitually  live  as  though  there  were  no  God  to  adore, 
or  to  fear  !  But,  shall  the  hand  of  God  be  acknowledged  in 
those  occurrences,  and  natural  phenomena,  which  are  regarded 
as  disastrous  or  unusual ;  and  shall  his  agency  and  his  goodness 
be  entirely  overlooked  in  the  regular  and  beneficent  course  and 
productions  of  nature  ?  Does  vain  man  imagine,  that  the  God  of 
the  universe  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  great  system  of  nature, 
only,  from  time  to  time,  to  inten'upt  its  wonted  order,  and  dis- 
arrange its  established  economy  ?  Is  it  only  in  disastrous  or  un- 
usual occurrences,  that  the  hand  of  the  beneficent  Creator  and 
Preserver  of  all  things  is  to  be  acknowledged  and  seen  ?  Alas, 
what  a  stupid,  what  an  ungrateful,  what  an  atheistical  being,  is 
fallen,  depraved  man !  And  are  we  not  all  chargeable,  in  a  greater 
or  less  degree,  with  this  practical  atheism  ?     If,  in  times  of  dis- 


SERMON  I.  27 

tress,  and  of  alarm,  we  turn  our  thoughts  towards  God,  do  we  noi 
strangely  forget  him,  m  times  of  security  and  peace,  and  un- 
gratefully overlook  his  goodness,  and  his  care,  in  the  unnumber- 
ed blessings  which,  in  the  regular  course  of  nature  and  provi- 
dence, he  daily  dispenses  to  us  ?  Is  it  not  strange,  that  we  can 
thus  live  ?  Is  it  not  strange,  that  we  do  not  constantly  perceive 
the  glory  of  God,  which  the  heavens  declare,  and  gratefully  re- 
cognize his  goodness,  so  richly  spread  abroad  through  all  his 
works  f  Happy,  happy  were  it  for  us,  did  nature  constantly  ap- 
pear to  us  as  it  really  is,  animated  and  enlivened  by  the  presence 
of  its  glorious  Author  !  When  the  sun  rises  or  sets  in  the  heavens, 
when  spring  adorns  the  earth,  when  summer  shines  in  its  glory, 
when  autumn  pours  forth  its  fruits,  or  when  winter  returns  in  its 
awful  forms,  happy  were  it  for  us,  did  we  constantly  view  the 
great  Creator  and  Preserver  of  all,  continually  manifesting  him- 
self in  his  various  works  !  Happy,  did  we  meet  his  presence  in 
the  smiling  fields,  feel  his  influence  in  the  cheering  beams,  hear 
his  voice  even  in  the  whispering  breeze,  and  taste  his  goodness 
in  every  gift  of  nature  and  providence  !  Happy  did  we  feel  our- 
selves every  where  surrounded  with  the  glory  of  that  universal 
Spirit,  who  fills,  peiTades,  and  enlivens  all,  and  did  we  live  in 
the  world,  as  in  a  great  and  august  temple,  where  the  presence 
of  the  Divinity  who  inhabits  it,  fills  the  mind  with  awe,  and  in- 
spires the  heart  with  devotion  ! 

2.  Our  subject  is  calculated  deeply  to  impress  the  important 
truth,  that  all  things,  as  well  in  the  natural  as  in  the  moral  world, 
are  ordered  in  the  best  manner  for  the  best  ends. 

Infinite  power,  directed  by  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness, 
can  do  nothing  wrong  ;  neither  can  it  be  hindered  fi?om  doino, 
all  which  is  best  to  be  done.  All  that  God  has  done,  is  doing, 
and  will  to  endless  ages  do,  may  be  relied  on  with  the  most  per- 
fect confidence,  as  being  done  for  the  highest  good  of  his  great 
and  rising  kingdom.  He  is  the  Sovereign  of  nature,  and  the 
Lord  of  providence,  as  well  as  the  God  of  grace.  As  he  is  the 
universal  Spirit,  who  sustains  and  actuates  the  whole  created 
universe,  intellectual  and  material ;  as  he  rules  in  the  heavens, 
and  governs   throughout  all  worlds,  and  aorording  to  hi  >  sovp- 


2b  SERMON  I. 

reign  pleasure,  and  in  such  a  manner  that  not  a  sparrow  can  fall 
to  the  ground,  nor  an  hair  of  the  head  perish  without  him,  we 
may  rest  in  the  fullest  assurance,  that  nothing  ever  does,  that 
nothing  ever  will  take  place,  which  is  not,  on  the  whole,  sub- 
servient to  the  highest  general  good,  and  to  the  furtherance  of 
the  best  interests  of  all  who  love  him. 

3.  The  language  of  nature  is  in  perfect  consonance  with  the 
language  of  revelation. 

The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God.  All  nature  proclaims-, 
from  day  to  day,  the  infinite  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  its 
divine  Author,  his  universal  dominion,  and  the  absolute  depend- 
ence of  all  beings  and  things  upon  him.  Perfectly  correspond- 
ent with  this,  is  the  xmifonTi  language  of  the  inspired  scriptures. 
If  such  be  the  character  of  God,  such  his  dominion,  and  such  the 
dependence  of  the  whole  universe  upon  him,  the  first  and 
plainest  conclusions  of  reason  are,  that  be  is  to  be  feared,  loved, 
obeyed,  worshipped,  and  praised,  by  all  his  intelligent  offspring ; 
that  entire  submission  and  devotion  to  him  are  but  a  reasonable 
service ;  and  that  rebellion  against  him  must  be  attended  with 
infinite  guilt,  and  must  expose  the  rebel  to  complete  and  irreme- 
diable destruction.  Is  not  the  God,  who  made  the  heavens  and 
the  earth,  and  who  holds  the  universe  in  his  hand  ; — is  not  he  to 
be  reverenced  and  adored  ?  Shall  a  vile  worm  of  the  dust  contemn 
his  glory,  disregard  his  authority,  and  rise  up  in  rebellion  against 
him,  and  not  be  crushed  as  the  moth  .''  Upon  this  momentous 
point,  nature  and  scripture  agree  in  the  same  declaration.  But 
here  nature  stops.  It  declares  that  God  is  to  be  reverenced  and 
obeyed  with  perfect  devotion,  and  that  rebellion  against  him 
must  be  attended  with  infinite  guilt  and  danger  ;  but,  whether 
sin  can  be  pardoned,  and  the  sinner  restored  to  the  favour  of 
heaven ;  and  if  so,  in  what  way,  nature  says  not.  On  the  sub- 
ject of  redemption,  by  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  nature  is 
entirely  silent.  For  all  the  information  we  have,  on  this  most 
interesting  subject,  we  are  entirely  indebted  to  the  grace  of  God 
bestowed  upon  us  in  his  written  word. 

How  thankful  should  we  be  for  the  light  of  nature ;  how 
diankful,  especially,  should  we  be  for  the  gloriously  superadded 


SERMON  I.  29 

light  of  revelation  !  And  if,  in  contempt  of  both  the  one  and  tlie 
other,  we  continue  in  sin,  how  clear  it  is,  that  terrible,  beyond 
description,  must  be  our  final  condemnation  !  As  the  heavens  de- 
clare the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament  shoivcth  his  handy 
work;  us  day  unto  day  uttercth  speech,  and  night  iinto  night 
showeth  knowledge ;  as  there  is  no  speech  nor  language  where 
their  voice  is  not  heard  ;  as  their  line  is  gone  out  through  all  the 
earth,  and  their  icords  to  the  end  of  the  world  ;  even  the  pagan 
nations,  though  favoured  with  the  Hght  of  nature  only,  are  with- 
out excuse  for  not  acknowledging,  loving,  and  serving,  the  God 
who  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  How  much  more  inex- 
cusable are  we  ;  and  with  what  infinite  reason  may  the  most 
abandoned  of  the  pagan  nations  rise  up  in  judgment,  and  con- 
demn us,  if,  notwithstanding  the  additional  and  far  superior  light, 
with  which  we  are  favoured,  we  continue  in  sin,  and  die  without 
repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ !  If 
Jehovah  is  to  be  adored,  when  he  is  only  known  as  the  God  of 
nature,  how  much  more,  when  he  is  known  as  the  God  of  nature 
and  of  grace  !  If  those  who  sin  against  the  light  of  the  natural 
sun  are  worthy  of  punishment,  of  how  much  sorer  punishment 
shall  they  he  thought  tvorthy,  who  sin  against  the  light  of  the  glo- 
rious sun  of  righteousness  !  If  "  an  indevout  astronomer  is  mad," 
what  dreadful  madness  must  there  be  in  the  heart  of  an  indevout 
reader  of  the  inspired  scriptures,  or  hearer  of  the  blessed  gospel ! 
O,  my  hearers,  let  us  feel,  one  and  all,  the  impression  of  this 
subject.  Let  us  look  abroad  upon  the  surrounding  heavens,  and 
the  earth,  and  adore  the  sovereign  of  nature.  Let  us  look  upon 
the  cross  of  the  Redeemer,  and  penitently  prostrate  ourselves  at 
the  feet  of  the  God,  both  of  nature  and  of  grace.  I^et  us  serious- 
ly consider,  how  terrible  our  final  condition  must  be,  if,  at  last, 
we  fall  under  the  vengeance  of  this  great  Being  ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  how  happy,  if  we  be  objects  of  his  pardoning  mercy, 
and  of  his  parental  and  everlasting  love.  Let  us  remember,  that 
magnificent  as  this  great  dome  of  nature  is,  and  richly  as  it  is 
stored  with  the  fruits  of  divine  goodness,  it  is  not  intended  for  our 
permanent  abode.  We  are  here,  for  a  short  season  only,  on 
probation  for  another  and  an  eternal  state.     Wc  shall  poon  be 


3.0  SERMON  I. 

gone  hence,  and  have  no  more  concern  forever,  with  the  com- 
forts or  the  sufferings,  with  the  joys  or  the  sorrows,  with  the 
hopes  or  the  fears,  of  this  sublunary  scene.  The  world  itself, 
indeed,  is  not  to  abide  forever.  But,  the  day  of  the  Lord  is 
coming,  is  hastening  on,  in  the  which  the  heavens  shall  pass  away 
with  a  great  noise,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat, 
the  earth  also,  and  the  works  that  are  therein,  shall  be  burnt  up. 
Happy,  happy  for  us,  if  in  that  great  day,  we  be  admitted  to  the 
new  heavens,  or  the  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness. 
Happy,  if  when  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  shall  be  dis- 
solved, we  have  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  heavens.  But  wretched,  indescribably  wretched, 
should  we  be  without,  where  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and  whore- 
mongers, and  murderers,  and  idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth  and 
maJceth  a  He. 


SERMON  II. 


THE  CREATION  OF  MAN  AN  IMPORTANT  WORK  OF  GOP 


»®« 


Isaiah  xlv.  12. 
/  have  made  the  earthy  and  created  man  upon  it. 

i^  UMEROUS,  beyond  conception,  is  the  race  of  mankind ; 
and  vastly  interesting  and  important  are  their  actions,  and  their 
destinies.  MilHons  of  human  beings  are  constantly  passing  over 
this  terrestrial  theatre,  and  other  millions  are  constantly  coming 
forward  to  supply  their  places.  But,  so  it  has  not  always  been. 
The  race  of  mankind,  like  all  created  beings,  had  a  beginning. 
Rapid  as  the  flight  of  time  is,  six  thousand  years  have  not  yet 
passed  away,  since  the  first  human  being  began  to  exist.  But, 
from  eternity,  the  infinitely  wise  God  had  contemplated  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  and,  when  the  predestined  moment  ar- 
rived, at  which  this  world  was  to  be  formed,  he  spake,  and  it  was 
done  ;  he  commanded,  and  it  stood  fast.     He  made  the  earth. 

AND  created  MAN  UPON  IT. 

These  words  stand  in  connection  with  a  memorable  prophecy, 
respecting  Cyrus  king  of  Persia.  About  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years  before  Cyrus  was  born,  Jehovali  called  him  by  name,  and 
foretold  the  great  purposes  to  be  accomplished  by  him,  particu- 
larly in  the  conquest  of  Babylon,  and  deliverance  of  the  Jews 
from  the  Babylonish  captivity.  Thus  saith  Jehovah  to  his 
anointed,  to  Cyrus,  whose  right  hand  I  have  holden  to  subdue 


.32  SERMON   II. 

nations  hefore  him; I  will  go  before   ihcc   to    maJce  the 

crooked  places  straight  ;  I  will  break  in  pieces  the  gates  of  brass, 
and  cut  in  sunder  the  bars  of  iron For  Jafob  my  ser- 
vant's sake,  and  Israel  mine  elect,  I  have  even  called  thee  by  thy 
name  ;  I  have  surnamed  thee,  though  thou  hast  not  known  me. 
In  the  false  religion  of  Persia,  the  country  of  Cyrus,  it  was  a 
fundamental  principle,  that  there  were  two  coeternal  beings; 
the  one,  the  author  of  all  good,  whose  emblem  was  light :  the 
other,  the  author  of  all  evil,  whose  emblem  was  darkness.  In 
opposition  to  this,  the  God  of  Israel  takes  occasion  to  say,  I  am 
Jehovah,  and  there  is  none  else.  I  form  the  light,  and  create 
darkness  ;  I  make  peace,  and  create  evil ;  I  Jehovah  do  all  thesB~ 
things.  Not  only  did  the  Persians  need  to  be  corrected,  in  re- 
gard to  the  great  First  Cause ;  but,  among  the  Jews,  there  were 
many,  who  were  disposed  presumptuously  to  arraign  his  provi- 
dence, and  to  find  fault  with  his  dealings  towards  his  people. 
To  them,  in  sovereign  majesty,  he  says,  TVo  unto  him  that 
striveth  with  his  Maker  !  Let  the  potsherd  strive  with  the  pot- 
sherds of  the  earth.  Shall  the  clay  say  to  him  that  fashioneth  it, 
tvhat  makest  thou  ?  Thus  saith  Jehovah,  the  holy  One  of  Israel, 
and  his  Maker,  Ask  me — or,  more  properly  rendered,  Will  ye 
ask  me  of  things  to  come  concerning  my  sons  ;  and  concerning 
the  work  of  my  hands  will  ye  command  me  ?  Then,  to  show  both 
Jews  and  Persians  his  sovereignty  and  greatness,  he  solemnly 

adds,  1  HAVE  MADE  THE  EARTH,  AND  CREATED  MAN  UPON  IT. 

/,  even  my  hands,  have  stretched  out  the  heavens,  and  all  their 
host  have  I  commanded.  I  have  raised  him  vp,  (that  is,  I  have 
raised  up  Cyrus,)  in  righteousness,  and  I  will  direct  all  his  ways. 
He  shall  build  my  city,  and  he  shall  let  go  my  captives,  not  for 
price  or  reward,  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts. 

A  principal  sentiment,  most  impressively  conveyed  in  this 
passage,  is,  that  Jehovah  made  the  earth,  and  created  man  upon 
it,  for  his  own  wise  and  holy  purposes.  Hence,  we  have  this 
plain  doctrine,  that  the  creation  of  man  was  a  highly  im- 
portant WORK  OF  God.  This  doctrine  I  shall  now  endeavour 
to  evince,  illustrate,  and  improve.  In  doing  this,  it  may  be 
observed, 


SERMOxN  II.  83 

I.  That  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  is  evident,  from  the  solemn 
manner,  in  which  God  proceeded  to  the  work  of  man's  creation, 
and  from  the  high  dignity,  and  the  immortal  nature,  of  the  being 
created. 

Something  highly  interesting,  concerning  these  things,  may 
be  learned  from  the  concise  history  of  the  creation  of  man,  which 
is  given  in  the  first  chapters  of  the  Bible.  The  heavens  and  the 
earth  tvere  finished  ;  the  various  ti'ibes  of  vegetables  and  of  ani- 
mals Were  brought  forth  ;  and  the  entire  work  was  pronounced 
to  be  vei'y  good.  Then,  God  said,  Let  iis  make  man  in  our 
image,  after  our  likeness  ;  and  let  him  have  dominion  over  the 
fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  over  the  cattle,  and 
over  all  the  earth,  and  over  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth 
upon  the  earth.  So  God  created  man  in  his  own  image;  in  the 
image  of  God  created  he  him  ;  male  and  female  created  lie  them. 
And  God  blessed  them,  and  God  said  unto  them,  Be  fruitful,  and 
multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth,  and  subdue  it ;  and  have  do- 
minion over  the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and 
^ver  every  living  thing  that  moveth  upon  the  earth.  Again,  The 
Lord  God  formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground,  and  breathed 
into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life;  and  man  became  a  living  soul. 

From  this  account,  it  appeal's  that  God  proceeded  to  the 
work  of  creating  man  with  great  solemnity.  Let  rts  make  man. 
It  would  seem  to  have  been  a  matter  of  high  consultation  and 
concert,  with  the  adorable  Trinity,  as  if  it  were  a  work  of  singu- 
lar importance. 

The  body  of  man,  indeed,  was  formed  of  the  dust  of  the 
ground ;  yet  it  was  distinguished  from  all  other  terrestrial  beings, 
by  a  form  nobly  erect,  stampt  with  transcendent  beauty  and 
grandeur,  and  pre-eminently  adapted  to  every  useful  and  desira- 
ble purpose.  And  into  its  nostrils,  the  Lord  God  breathed  the 
breath  of  life;  and  man  became  a  living  sovl.  A  spirit  was  in- 
fused into  him^  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty  gave  him 
understanding;  a  spirit,  immortal  in  its  nature,  allied  to  heaven- 
ly beings,  and  impressed  with  the  image  of  God. 

This  last  is  a  fact  eminently  noticeable,  and  mentioned  with 
special  particularity.      God  sn'^K  Tyct  rn  lyinkc  man  in  n-.ir  Imngr. 


34  SERMON   II. 

after  our  likeness.  So  God  created  man  in  his  otvn  image ;  in 
the  image  of  God  created  he  him.  The  divine  consultation 
on  the  subject,  and  the  emphatical  repetition  here  employed, 
t>trongly  evince,  that  the  image,  or  likeness  of  God,  in  which 
man  was  created,  was  real,  and  most  excellent.  As  God  is  a 
being  of  infinite  inteUigence,  so  man  was  made  an  intelligent 
being.  As  God  is  a  being  of  infinite  hoHness,  so  man  was  made 
perfectly  holy.  In  this  he  bore  the  image  of  God  in  the  highest 
sense.  Those  of  our  now  fallen  race,  who  are  renewed  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  are  said  to  be  created  after  God;  that  is,  in  his  image, 
or  likeness  ;  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.  It  was  thus  in  ' 
perfection  with  man,  when  he  came  originally  from  the  hand  of 
his  Maker.  He  was  holy  as  God  is  holy.  Love  to  God,  and 
to  all  good,  reigned  in  his  heart,  held  all  his  affections,  and  pas- 
sions, and  appetites,  in  complete  subordination,  and  filled  his 
soul  with  unspeakable  serenity  and  happiness. 

Male  and  female  created  he  them.  And  God  blessed  them, 
and  said  unto  them,  Be  fruitful,  and  multiply,  and  replenish  the 
earth,  and  subdue  it ;  and  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of  the  sea, 
and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  over  every  living  thing  that 
movcth  upon  the  earth.  Thus  he  was  invested  with  high  dignity, 
and  made  lord  of  this  lower  creation.  The  earth,  with  all  it 
contained,  was  put  under  him  ;  and  he  held  the  dominion  of  the 
whole,  in  allegiance  to  God. 

Until  man  was  created,  this  lower  world  was  without  a  head  j 
and  had  not  man  been  created,  the  rest  of  this  lower  creation 
would  have  been  in  a  manner  useless.  There  would  have  been 
no  being  here  wortliy  of  all  this  display  of  the  Creator's  glory, 
or  capable  of  rationally  contemplating  his  works,  celebrating  his 
praise,  or  enjoying  and  improving  the  treasures  of  his  goodness, 
with  which  the  world  is  so  richly  stored.  Man  was  formed  for 
all  these  purposes.  He  w^as  formed  to  be  lord,  and  proprietor, 
under  God,  of  the  earth,  and  all  it  should  contain  ;  to  be  the 
head,  the  heart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  creation  ;  to  contemplate, 
to  enjoy,  and  to  improve  all  the  divine  riches  around  him  ;  to 
connect  this  world  with  heaven  ;  and  to  combine  the  universe 
in  one  great  plan,  subservient,  in  all  its  parts,  to  the  glory  of  the 


SERMON  II.  35 

Creator,  and  the  highest  good  of  his  creatures.  Siich  were  tlio 
great  purposes  for  which  man  was  created,  and  suitable  to  these 
purposes  was  the  dignity  conferred  upon  him.  He  was  made  but 
little  lower  than  the  angels,  and  was  crowned  with  glory  and 
honour.  He  was  raised  to  a  rank  in  the  scale  of  being,  far 
above  all  the  terrestrial  tribes  ;  he  was  endowed  with  the  noblest 
powers  and  faculties,  both  of  body  and  mind  ;  and,  to  crown  the 
whole,  his  nature  was  stampt  with  immortaUty,  and  with  the  im- 
age of  God.  His  creation  was  the  beginning  of  an  existence, 
an  inteUigent  and  moral,  and  a  happy  or  miserable  existence, 
which  was  to  have  no  end  ;  but  to  continue  and  increase  to  all 
eternity.  Thousands  of  years  have  already  past  away,  but  the 
first  human  pair  still  exist.  The  heavens  shall  wax  old  like  a 
garment,  and,  ere  long,  he  rolled  together  as  a  scroll,  and  the 
earth,  and  the  ivorks  that  are  therein,  shall  he  burnt  up  ;  but  man 
will  survive  the  catastrophe  of  the  universe,  and  exist  when  suns, 
and  stars,  and  planets  shine  no  more.  Surely,  these  things  must 
furnish  abundant  evidence,  that  the  creation  of  man  was  a  work 
of  vast  importance.     But, 

II.  That  the  creation  of  man  was  a  highly  important  work 
is  evident,  from  the  display  made  in  it  of  the  perfections  of  the 
adorable  Creator. 

Man  was  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made.  Contemplate,  a 
moment,  the  human  body,  in  its  admirable  structure  and  form. 
Contemplate  its  wonderful  organization  ;  its  dehcate  contexture  ; 
its  excellence  and  beauty  of  figure  and  countenance ;  its  anima- 
tion, its  activity,  and  its  various  senses  ;  its  indications  of  wise 
design  in  every  part,  and  its  consummate  adaptation  to  every 
useful  and  desirable  purpose.  This  body,  in  its  most  perfect 
state,  this  little  world  of  wonders  in  itself,  was  formed  of  the  dust 
of  the  earth  !  No  wonder,  then,  that  the  before  atheistical  phi- 
losopher, when  contemplating  this  wonderful  workmanship,  ex- 
claimed, "  There  must  be  a  God  !"  The  great  fabrick  of  nature 
is  an  object,  indeed,  stupendously  magnificent,  and  calculated  to 
strike  every  beholder  with  wonder  and  awe.  But,  in  the  whole 
system  of  nature  besides,  there  is  not,  perhaps,  so  admirable  a 
display  of  the  power,  the  wisdom,  and  the  goodness  of  the  diviup 


3$  SERMON  II. 

Creator,  as  there  is  in  the  human  body.  But  the  body,  fearfully 
and  wonderfidly  made,  as  it  is,  can  bear  no  comparison  with  the 
invisible  and  immortal  part  of  man,  A  soid,  created  in  the  im- 
age of  God,  endued  with  all  the  powers  of  a  rational  and  moral 
being,  formed  for  the  noblest  pursuits  and  enjoyments,  and  ca- 
pable of  endless  advancement  in  knowledge,  in  goodness,  and  in 
happiness,  is  surely  an  object,  which,  the  more  we  contemplate, 
the  more  we  shall  see  cause  to  admire.  Nothing  in  the  material 
universe  can  bear  any  comparison  with  it ;  nothing  in  the  mate- 
rial universe  so  illustriously  shows  forth  the  glory  of  God.  The 
human  soul  and  body  united,  undoubtedly  constituted  the  noblest 
and  most  wonderful  of  all  the  Creator's  works,  in  this  lower 
world  ;  and,  as  such,  was  a  work  of  vast  importance,  in  respect 
to  the  display  of  his  adorable  perfections.  Doubtless,  on  be- 
holding this  work,  the  morning  stars,  who  sang  together,  and  all 
the  sons  of  God,  who  shouted  for  joy,  in  view  of  the  rising  crea- 
tion, raised  their  grateful  notes  with  redoubled  acclamations. 

III.  That  the  creation  of  man  was  a  vastly  important  work 
of  God,  is  evident,  from  the  countless  number  of  rational  and 
immortal  beings  in  effect  at  the  same  time  created. 

Whether  the  souls  of  all  mankind  were  actually  created,  as 
some  suppose,  at  the  time  of  Adam's  creation,  or  whether  they 
are  successively  created,  as  the  bodies  designed  for  them  are 
ready  to  receive  them ;  whether  they  are  infused  into  their  re- 
spective bodies  immediately  by  the  Creator,  or  whether  they  are 
propagated  with  their  bodies  by  natural  traduction  ;  unquestiona- 
bly, the  existence  of  all  their  posterity  was  infallibly  connected 
with  the  creation  of  the  first  human  pair.  The  first  parents  of 
our  race  were  so  formed,  or  under  such  a  constitution  created, 
that  all  mankind  were,  in  some  sense,  contained  in  them,  and  to 
be  propagated  from  them ;  so  that,  in  creating  them,  and  giving 
the  benediction,  or  command,  to  be  fruitfid  and  multiply,  and 
replenish  the  earth,  God,  in  effect,  at  the  same  time  created  the 
whole  human  family.  But,  how  vastly  numerous  is  the  race  of 
mankind  !  Not  less  than  eight  hundred  millions  of  human  inhabi- 
tants the  world  is  computed  to  contain  at  once  ;  and  to  shift  its 
inhabitants  once  in  from  thirty  to  thirty  five  years,  or  three  times 


SERMON   11.  37 

in  the  course  of  each  century.  According  to  this  computation,  in 
every  period  of  about  thirty  three  years,  eight  hundred  milUons, 
and  in  every  period  of  an  hundred  years,  twenty-four  hundred 
millions  of  human  beings,  pass  from  this  to  the  eternal  world. 
Assuming  this  as  an  average  rate,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world  to  the  present  age,  it  will  give  the  whole  number  of  hu- 
man beings,  already  come  into  existence,  at  upwards  of  fourteen 
miUions  of  millions  ;  and,  allowing  the  world  to  continue  for 
seven  thousand  years  from  the  beginning,  the  same  average  rate 
would  give  the  total  number  of  mankind  at  about  seventeen 
millions  of  millions.  The  amount  of  this  computation,  in  all 
probability,  falls  short  of  the  reahty ;  yet,  at  the  rapid  rate  of  two 
hundred  in  a  minute,  day  and  night  perpetually,  the  whole  num- 
ber here  given  would  not  be  counted  oft'  in  sixteen  thousand 
years.  Amazing  number !  yet  this  countless  race  of  beings 
were  all  connected  with  the  first  creation  of  man !  Was  not 
the  creation  of  man,  then,  a  work  of  vast  importance  ?  Buj, 
I  observe, 

IV.  That  the  creation  of  mankind  was  a  vastly  important 
work  is  evident,  from  the  great  events,  and  the  consequences  to 
themselves,  and  to  the  universe  at  large,  connected  with  their 
creation. 

As,  in  the  creation  of  the  first  human  pair,  the  consequent 
existence  of  all  their  unnumbered  posterity  was  involved  ;  so, 
also,  connected  with  it  were  all  the  events  relating  to  human 
things,  which  ever  have  taken  place,  or  ever  will  take  place. 
All  the  holiness  and  sin,  the  happiness  and  misery  of  mankind ; 
the  fatal  revolt  of  our  first  parents  from  God,  soon  after  their 
creation,  and  the  consequent  depravity  of  all  their  descendants  ; 
all  the  contempt  and  abuse  of  God,  his  law-,  and  his  grace  ;  all 
the  hatred  and  envy,  the  violence  and  strife,  the  wars  and  fight- 
ings, before  the  deluge  and  since  ;  all  the  sickness  and  mortahty, 
the  disasters  and  pains,  the  desolations  and  destructions  by  flood, 
and  by  tempest  and  fire  from  heaven,  by  famine  and  pestilence, 
by  earthquakes,  volcanoes,  and  general  conflagration,  by  which 
the  vengeance  of  heaven  against  sin  ever  has  been,  or  ever  will 
be  testified.     All  the  gracious  dispensations,   also,  of  God  to 


i3b  SERMON   II. 

mankind  ;  the  early  promise  of  the  Saviour,  and  the  divine  reve- 
lations from  period  to  period  communicated  to  the  world  ;  the 
covenant  transactions  with  the  people  and  church  of  God,  under 
successive  economies ;  the  incarnation  and  death,  the  resurrec- 
tion and  exaltation  of  the  divine  Redeemer ;  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  the  conversion,  the  faith  and  patience,  the  virtues  and 
trials  of  unnumbered  millions;  and  the  eventual  diffusion  of 
divine  knowledge,  and  ofmillenial  peace  and  happiness,  through 
the  world  :  All  these,  and  their  innumerable  subordinate  events, 
were  undoubtedly  connected  with  the  first  creation  of  man. 

But  great  as  the  events  of  this  world  are,  the  events  to  take 
place  at  the  close  of  the  world,  and  the  results  and  consequences 
in  eternity,  will  be  inconceivably  greater.  The  general  resur- 
rection of  the  just  and  of  the  unjust ;  the  passing  away  of  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  with  a  great  noise  ;  the  dissolution,  by  fire, 
of  the  earth,  and  all  that  is  in  it ;  the  descent,  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  of  the  incarnate  Son  of  God,  in  all  the  glory  of  the 
Father,  with  the  holy  angels,  and  the  judgment  of  the  great  day  ; 
the  everlasting  perdition  of  the  ungodly  ;  the  ineffable  and  eter- 
nal felicity  and  glory  of  the  nations  of  the  redeemed  in  the  celes- 
tial world  ;  and  the  increased  and  forever  increasing  blessedness 
of  all  holy  beings,  to  the  glory  and  praise  of  God:  All  these 
momentous  events  and  results  must  be  considered  as  connected 
with  the  first  formation  of  the  progenitors  of  our  race.  Of  what 
h'anscendent  importance,  then,  to  the  whole  universe  of  God^ 
was  the  work  of  man's  creation  ! 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  We  are  led  to  consider  the  dependent  state  of  mankind. 

About  fifty  eight  centuries  ago  the  race  of  mankind  began  to 
exist.  Before  that  date,  no  human  being  existed  in  the  universe. 
And  God  said,  Let  us  make  man.  It  rested,  then,  entirely, 
with  the  sovereign  good  pleasure  of  God,  whether  there  should 
be  such  a  race  of  beings.  For,  who  hath  directed  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord,  or,  being  his  covnsellor,  hath  taught  him  ?  It  was  his 
infinite  and  eternal  good  pleasure,  that  mankind  should  exist; 
and,  therefore,  at  the  appointed  moment,  he  formed  man  of  the 


SERMON   II.  39 

dust  of  the  ground,  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of 
life  ;  and  man  became  a  living  soid.  Such  was  tlie  origin  of  our 
being  ;  and  the  same  divine  hand,  which  first  fashioned  our  clay, 
has  supported  our  race,  through  all  successive  generations. 
Adam,  in  the  moulding  hand  of  his  Maker,  was  no  more  de- 
pendent, than  have  been  all  his  posterity.  At  the  sovereign 
good  pleasure  of  God,  all  the  generations  of  men  commenced 
their  existence ;  and  by  his  preserving  and  all  supporting  provi- 
dence, they  are  continued  in  being.  How  strong  is  that  hand, 
which  bears  up  the  pillars  of  the  universe  !  How  wonderful  that 
providence,  which  preserves  and  sustains  unnumbered  millions 
of  beings  !    Alas  !  that  man  should  dare  strive  with  his  Maker ! 

2.  Our  subject  leads  us  to  reflect  on  the  distinguishing  good- 
ness of  God  to  man,  in  his  creation. 

First,  a  world,  admirably  enriched  and  beautified,  was 
created  and  furnished  for  his  residence  and  enjoyment ;  then, 
man  was  created  in  the  image  of  his  Maker,  invested  with  the 
property  and  dominion  of  the  whole  terrestrial  creation,  crowned 
with  glory  and  honour,  and  blest  with  all  which  could  render 
him  dignified  and  happy.  Surely,  in  all  this,  infinite  beneficence 
was  illustriously  manifested.  The  following  address  of  Adam  to 
Eve,  in  Milton,  is  as  just  as  it  is  beautiful. 

''  Sole  partner,  and  sole  part  of  all  these  joys, 
Dearer  thyself  than  all ;  needs  must  the  power 
That  made  us,  and  for  us  this  ample  world, 
Be  infinitely  good,  and  of  his  good 
As  liberal  and  free  as  infinite  ; 
That  rais'd  us  from  the  dust,  and  plac'd  us  here 
In  all  this  happiness,  who  at  his  hand 
Have  nothing  merited,  nor  can  perform 
Ought  whereof  he  hath  need." 

For  all  this  goodness,  the  first  parents  of  our  race  were  cer- 
tainly under  high  and  everlasting  obhgations  of  gratitude  and 
praise.  And  are  not  we,  my  brethren,  and  all  the  descendants 
of  these  parents,  under  similar  obligations  ?  The  infinite  favour 
conferred  upon  man,  in  his  original  creation,  was  in  a  sense  con- 
ferred upon  the  whole  human  race.  And  the  obligations  upon 
Adam,  and  upon  all  his  posterity,  for  creating  goodness,  have 


40  SERMON  11. 

never  been  cancelled.  They  are  as  really  binding  upon  us  nov\', 
as  they  would  have  been  had  Adam  maintained  his  integrity,  and 
transmitted  the  blessings  of  bis  first  happy  state  to  all  his  de- 
scendants. A  contemplation,  therefore,  of  the  original  forma- 
tion of  man  should  exalt  our  conceptions  of  the  goodness  of  God, 
and  inspire  our  hcai'ts  with  gratitude  and  love. 

3,  The  first  disobedience  and  revolt  of  man  must  have  been 
wholly  inexcusable,  and  exceedingly  ungrateful  and  criminal. 

The  infinite  amiableness  and  worthiness  of  God  necessarily 
induces  upon  all  his  rational  offspring  a  correspondent  obligation 
devotedly  to  love  and  obey  him.  Man,  as  well  as  all  other  be- 
ings, was  entirely  indebted  to  God,  for  his  existence,  for  all  his 
endowments  of  body  and  mind,  for  all  the  rich  sources  of  enjoy- 
ment, with  which  he  was  surrounded,  and  for  all  his  dignity  and 
happiness.  The  sovereign  favour  of  God  to  him  was  infinitely 
great  and  endearing.  He  had  experience  also  of  the  perfect 
happiness  to  be  found  in  the  love  and  enjoyment  of  God ;  and 
he  had  assurance  that,  if  he  continued  obedient,  he,  and  his 
whole  race,  would  be  blest  with  perfect  and  immortal  felicity ; 
but  that,  if  he  transgressed,  he  would  lose  his  bliss,  and  involve 
himself,  and  all  his  posterity,  in  infinite  guilt  and  ruin.  Placed 
in  these  circumstances,  and  under  these  obligations  ;  endued 
with  reason  in  high  maturity  ;  perfectly  instructed  in  his  duty, 
and  warned  of  the  evil  of  transgression  ;  what  possible  excuse 
can  be  found  for  his  disobedience  ?  And  with  what  infinite 
criminality  must  his  revolt  have  been  attended  ?  Let  us  never, 
for  a  moment,  indulge  an  accusing  or  undutiful  thought  of  God, 
with  respect  to  our  fallen  condition.  In  all  the  circumstances  of 
the  creation  and  primeval  state  of  man,  God  appears  infinitely 
good.  To  impute  to  him,  in  any  sense  or  degree,  the  blame  of 
the  apostacy,  and  consequent  depravity  and  misery  of  man, 
must  be  infinitely  ungrateful.  Penitently,  then,  let  us  ascribe 
righteousness  to  our  Maker,  acknowledge  before  him  the  guilt  of 
our  parents,  and  of  ourselves,  and  extol  the  riches  of  his  grace, 
tlirough  the  early  promised  seed  ! 

4.  It  is  reasonable  to  conclude,  that  the  ultimate  happiness 
and  glory  of  the  redeemed,  from  among  men,  must  be  trans- 
cendently  great. 


SERMON  II.  41 

It  was,  undoubtedly,  in  the  happiness  and  glory  resulting 
from  the  work  of  redemption,  that  God  foresaw  the  completion 
of  his  great  design  in  creating  mankind.  Nothing  beside  this 
can  reasonably  be  supposed  to  be  the  ultimate  object  of  his 
work.  By  the  Son  of  God,  the  Redeemer  of  men,  all  things 
were  made — hy  him  and  for  him;  and  to  his  redeemed  it  is  said, 
All  things  are  your^s  ;  all  things  are  for  your  sakes.  But,  my 
brethren,  must  not  the  happiness  and  glory,  which  are  eventually 
to  countervail  the  apostacy  of  man,  and  all  its  tremendous  con- 
sequences, the  sins  and  sufferings  of  mankind,  in  time  and  in 
eternity,  and  fully  to  answer  the  infinitely  benevolent  views  of 
the  Creator,  be  inconceivably  great  ?  Man  was  originally  made 
a  little  lower  than  the  angels  ;  but  will  not  the  redeemed  from 
among  men  eventually  be  raised  to  an  elevation  of  dignity  and 
happiness,  far  above  the  highest  of  angelick  beings?  The  Son  of 
the  Highest,  by  whom  and  for  whom  all  things  were  made,  who, 
for  the  purposes  of  our  redemption,  assumed  our  nature  and  died 
on  the  cross,  and  who  is  now  enthroned  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Majesty  in  the  heavens,  is  made  Head  over  all  things  to  the 
church,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood,  and  which 
is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  whofilleth  all  in  all.  His  redeem- 
ed are  to  sit  down  with  him  in  his  throne,  and,  as  members  of  his 
body,  made  like  unto  him,  are  to  reign  with  him  in  heavenly 
glory ;  while,  as  represented  in  the  Revelation,  the  myriads  of 
angels  will  stand  round  about,  ministering  to  them,  admiring  the 
boundless  grace  displayed  in  their  salvation,  and  assisting  them, 
with  their  voices  and  their  harps,  in  the  extatick  and  immortal 
song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb. 

6.  How  amazing,  and  how  criminal,  are  the  inconsiderate- 
ness  and  stupidity  of  mankind. 

About  fifty  eight  hundred  years  ago,  Jehovah  made  the  earthy 
and  created  man  upon  it.  Though  formed  in  perfect  holiness, 
and  placed  in  perfect  happiness,  man  soon  revolted  from  his 
Maker,  and  involved  himself  and  his  posterity  in  guilt  and  ruin. 
Yet  God  was  merciful,  and  found  out  a  ransom.  His  Son  un- 
dertook to  make  atonement  for  sin,  and  to  bring  in  everlasting 
righteousness.     Man  was  put  upon  a  gracious  probation,  for  re- 


42  SERMON   11.'   • 

covery  to  God  and  immortal  life,  through   repentance  and  faith 
in  the  Redeemer.     The  probationary  scene,  early  commenced, 
has  been  continued  down  from  generation  to  generation,  through 
successive  periods  of  time.     Unnumbered  millions,  destined  for 
eternity,  have  come,  in  succession,  upon  this  mortal  stage,  have 
acted  their  parts,  have  passed  their  several  terms  of  trial,  and  are 
gone  to  receive  their  eternal  retributions  of  glory  or  of  wo. 
Amazing  events,  in  different  ages,  have  taken  place.     The  world 
has  once  been  destroyed   with   a  deluge  of  waters;    populous 
cities  have  been  overthrown  with  earthquakes  and  tempests  of 
fire  ;  nation  has  been  dashed  against  nation,  and  kingdom  against 
kingdom ;  and  mighty  empires  have  been  swept  away  with  the 
besom  of  destruction.     The  Son  of  God  has  come  down  from 
heaven,  assumed  our  nature,  and  died  on  the  cross  ;  he  has  risen 
from  the  dead,  ascended  to  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  been 
announced    as   an   almighty   Prince  and    Saviour.     The   glad 
tidings  of  salvation,  through  his  blood,  have  been  published  to 
the  world ;  and  millions  on  millions,  turned  from  darkness  tw 
light ;    and  from  the  power  of  Satan  to  God,  have  been  trained 
up  for  immortal  glory,  in  his  heavenly  kingdom.     And  assurance 
is  given,  in  his  word  of  eternal  truth,  that  his  gospel  shall  con- 
tinue to  spread,  until  all  people  shall  be  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  his  salvation,  and  the  whole  earth  shall  be  full  of  his  praise. 
Afterward,  when  all  his  redeemed  shall  have  been  gathered  in, 
the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  the  elements  shall 
melt  with  fervent  heat,   and  the  earth,   and  the  ivorks  that  are 
therein,  shall  he  burnt  up  ; — The   Son  of  God  shall  appear  in 
the  clouds,  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with  the  holy  angels  ;  the 
countless  myriads  of  mankind,  the  righteous   and  the   wicked, 
awakened  from  the  slumbers  of  ages,  shall  appear  before  him, 
and  be  adjudged  for  eternity,   according  to  their  works.     The 
wicked  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment,  hut  the  right- 
eous into  life  eternal. — Yet,  all  this  notwithstanding,  liow  little 
affected,  and  how  little  concerned,  do  mankind  in  general  appear 
to  be  !  Do  they  not  live  as  if  the  world  had  never  a  beginning, 
and  would  never  have  an  end ;  as  if  there  were  no  God,  and  no 
Saviour;  as  if  there  were  no  heaven,  and  no  hell;  as  if  they 


SERMON  II.  43 

liad  no  souls  to  be  either  saved  or  lost ;  and  nothing  to  hope,  or 
to  fear,  beyond  their  present  transitory  state  ;  in  a  word,  as  if 
they  had  no  other  duty  or  care,  than  to  seek  the  world,  and  the 
things  of  the  world  f — Amazing  stupidity,  and  as  crimmal  as  it 
is  amazing  !  If  the  first  disobedience  of  Adam  was  inexcusable, 
and  involved  infinite  guilt ;  what  shall  we  say  of  those  of  his 
posterity,  who  not  only  practically  approve  of  his  transgression, 
but,  in  despite  of  all  the  solemn  events  of  ages,  and  under  the 
full  blaze  of  the  gospel,  five  in  forgetfulness  of  God  their  Maker, 
in  contempt  of  Christ  their  Redeemer,  and  in  neglect  of  the 
salvation  offered  them  from  heaven  ?  O  consider  this,  ye  that 
forget  God,  lest  he  tear  you  in  pieces,  and  there  be  none  to  deliver. 


SERMON  III. 


A  VIEW  OF  THE  DIVINE  GLOEY  SELF-ABASING. 


»®« 


Isaiah  vi.  5. 

Then  said  /,  Wo  is  me !  for  I  am  undone  ;  because  I  am  a  man  of  un- 
clean lips^  and  I  dwell  in  the  midst  of  a  people  of  unclean  lips  : 
for  mine  eyes  have  seen  the  King^  the  Lord  of  hosts. 

V-r  F  all  the  prophets  before  the  Saviour's  incarnation,  Isaiah, 
next  to  Moses,  appears  to  have  been  favoured  with  the  clearest 
and  brightest  manifestations  of  the  divine  glory.  Of  all  the 
visions  of  God,  vouchsafed  to  him,  that  to  which  the  words  of 
our  text  refer,  was  undoubtedly  the  most  magnificent  and  awful. 
In  the  year  that  king  Uzziah  died,  says  he,  I  saw  Jehovah  sitting 
upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train  filled  the  temple. 
Above  it  stood  the  seraphim  ;  each  one  had  six  loings  ;  with  twain 
he  covered  his  face,  and  with  twain  he  covered  his  feet,  and  with 
twain  he  did  fly.  And  one  cried  unto  another  and  said,  Holy, 
holy,  holy,  Jehovah  God  of  hosts  !  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his 
glory.  And  the  pillars  of  the  vestibule  were  shaken  with  the 
voice  of  their  cry,  and  the  temple  was  filled  with  smoke.  The 
temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  especially  that  part  of  it,  which  was 
called  the  most  holy  place,  or  the  holy  of  holies,  and  which  was 
separated  from  the  courts,  and  from  the  holy  place,  by  a  first 
and  second  vail,  was  an  emblematical  representation  of  heaven. 
There,  upon  the  mercy  seat,  and  between  the  cherubim,  the 


SERMON   m.  45 

God  of  Israel  dwelt,  in  a  visible  symbol,  described  as  a  re- 
splendent pillar  of  cloud,  and  called  the  glory  of  Jehovah. 

In  this  wonderful  vision,  as  the  prophet  was  standing  near 
the  great  altar  of  burnt  offering,  in  the  inner  court,  the  vails  were 
removed,  the  whole  temple  was  opened  to  his  view,  and  the 
mysterious  symbols  were  changed  into  glorious  realities.  The 
holy  of  holies  appeared  to  him  as  the  heaven  of  heavens.  In- 
stead of  the  symbolical  mercy  seat,  he  saw  a  throne,  high  and 
lofty,  and  of  unutterable  magnificence.  Instead  of  the  pillai-  of 
cloud,  he  saw  Jehovah,  apparently  in  human  form,  as  God  mani- 
fest in  thefesh,  sitting  in  awfully  refulgent  majesty,  and  in  a 
robe  of  glory,  the  skirts  of  which  filled  the  whole  temple.  In- 
stead of  the  golden  cherubim,  he  saw  living  angels  of  that  dis- 
tinguished order,  which,  on  account  of  their  burning  devotion, 
are  called  seraphim,  standing  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left, 
as  the  attendant  ministers  of  the  divine  presence.  These  most 
exalted  of  created  beings,  severally,  with  two  of  their  wings 
covered  their  faces;  thereby  betokening  their  inability  steadfastly 
to  behold,  or  fully  to  comprehend,  the  glory  of  God  ;  and  the 
profound  reverence  and  awe,  with  which  they  worshipped  and 
adored  him.  Severally,  also,  with  two  of  their  wings  thej^  cover- 
ed their  feet ;  as  being  consciously  unworthy  to  stand  near  the 
throne  of  Jehovah,  or  to  be  employed  as  the  messengers  of  his 
will.  And  with  the  most  humble  and  ardent  devotion,  they 
tiried,  responsively  to  each  other.  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Jehovah  God 
if  hosts!  the  ivhole  earth  isfdl  of  his  glory. 

The  evangelist  John,  speaking  of  Christ,  and  referring  to  this 
vision,  says.  These  things  said  Isaiah,  when  he  saw  his  glory 
and  spake  of  him.  That  it  was  especially  in  the  person  of  the 
Son,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  Isaiali,  on  this  occasion,  saw 
the  glory  of  Jehovah,  is  evident,  not  only  from  the  express  testi- 
mony of  John,  but  also  from  the  vision  itself.  It  is  only  in  the 
person  of  the  Son,  that  Jehovali  has  ever  appeared  in  human 
form,  as  he  evidently  did  in  this  vision.  The  altar  also,  from 
•which  a  live  coal  was  taken  by  one  of  the  seraphim,  to  touch 
the  lips  of  the  prophet  for  his  purification,  and  the  smoke  with 
which  the  temple  was  filled,  both  denote  the  great  sacrifice  of 


■\6  SERMON   III. 

Christ,  through  the  medium  of  which  the  whole  earth  is  filled 
with  displays  of  the  divine  glory.  This  glory,  however,  though 
seen  especially  in  the  person  of  the  Son,  is  the  glory  of  all  the 
adorable  Trinity.  This,  the  best  commentators,  ancient  and 
modern,  have  supposed  to  be  intimated  by  the  threefold  ascrip- 
tion of  the  seraphim,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Jehovah  God  of  hosts. 

Overwhelmed  with  the  vision,  the  prophet  exclaimed.  Wo 
is  me,  for  I  am  undone !  because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and 
I  dwell  in  the  midst  of  a  people  of  unclean  lips :  for  mine  eyes 
have  seen  Jehovah  God  of  hosts.  Isaiah  was,  unquestionably,  an 
eminent  saint,  as  well  as  a  distinguished  prophet.  Before  this 
vision,  he  had  been  employed  to  bear  the  messages  of  God  to  the 
people  of  Judah  and  Israel ;  and  he  had  performed  his  services,  no 
doubt,  with  a  zeal,  and  fidelity,  and  purity  of  intention,  which  have 
seldom  been  surpassed.  Yet,  when  he  saw,  thus  clearly,  the 
glory  of  Jehovah,  he  was  struck  with  a  most  humbling  convic- 
tion of  his  own  unworthiness  and  pollution,  as  well  as  of  the 
deep  depravity  and  pollution  of  the  people,  among  whom  he 
dwelt.  It  was  so,  also,  with  Job,  who  had  the  testimony  of  God 
himself,  that  he  was  a  perfect  and  an  upright  man  ;  one  that 
feared  God,  and  eschewed  evil.  I  have  heard  of  thee,  said  he,  hy 
the  hearing  of  the  ear ;  hut  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee  ;  wherefore, 
I  ahhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes.  We  are  here, 
then,  presented  with  this  interesting    sentiment :    That,   in  a 

CLEAR  VIEW  OF  THE  DIVINE  GLORY,  THE  HOLIEST  MEN  ON 
EARTH  WILL  SEE  CAUSE  FOR  THE  DEEPEST  HUMILITY  AND 
SELF-ABASEMENT. 

With  visions  of  the  Almighty,  such  as  the  one  which  Isaiah 
had,  the  people  of  God  are  not  now  favoured.  There  is  a  sense, 
however,  in  which  they  see,  with  greater  or  less  clearness,  the 
glory  of  God.  There  are  times  when  they  feel  themselves  to 
be  in  his  presence  ; — when  they  behold  him  on  his  throne 
of  glory,  and  see  his  infinite  perfections,  his  transcendent 
beauty  and  majesty.  And  that,  when  it  is  thus  with  them,  they 
will  see  cause,  even  the  holiest  of  them,  for  the  deepest 
humility  and  self-abasement,  may  appear  from  the  following 
considerations. 


SERMON   III.  47 

I.  God  is  a  self-existent  and  independent  being  ;  the  Idgh 
and  lofty  One,  who  inhahiteih  eternity.  Before  the  mountaws 
were  brought  forth,  or  ever  he  had  formed  the  earth  and  the  loorld. 
even  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  he  is  God.  In  his  existence, 
in  his  blessedness,  In  his  glorious  majesty,  he  is  completely  and 
absolutely  independent.  In  himself  he  has  immortality ;  in  him- 
self he  is  all-sufficient.  In  the  presence  of  such  a  being,  \vhat 
are  men  f  What  are  angels  ?  The  highest  seraph  of  heaven 
must  feel,  that  he  is  but  a  creature  of  yesterday ;  the  greatest 
saint  on  earth  must  confess,  that  his  foundation  is  in  the  dust, 
that  he  is  crushed  before  the  moth. 

II.  God  is  the  Creator,  the  Upholder,  and  the  Governour  of 
the  universe.  He  moulded  this  globe  of  earth,  and  created  man 
upon  it.  He  spread  abroad  the  firmament  of  heaven,  and  form- 
ed the  unnumbered  orbs,  which  move  and  shine  through  the 
immensity  of  space.  He  gave  being  to  all  the  muhitude  of  an- 
gels ;  and  furnished  the  upper  and  lower  worlds  with  all  their 
endless  and  wonderful  varieties.  The  light,  the  life,  the  beauty, 
the  grandeur  of  the  creation,  are  all  from  God.  He  spake,  and 
it  was  done  ;  He  commanded,  and  it  stood  fast.  The  same  al- 
mighty fiat,  which  gave  birth  to  the  universe,  still  upholds  and 
preserves  it.  But  for  this,  the  pillars  .of  heaven  would  fall, — 
suns  and  planets  would  rush  from  their  spheres, — angels  and 
men  would  cease  to  exist, — the  whole  creation  would  become  a 
blank. — The  prophet  saw  Jehovah  sitting  upon  a  throne  high 
and  lifted  up.  That  throne  is  everlasting ;  and  He  who  sits 
upon  it  is  the  blessed  and  only  potentate,  the  Lord  of  lords,  and 
King  of  kings.  To  him  belong  the  greatness,  and  the  power,  and 
the  glory,  and  the  victory,  and  the  majesty  ;  for  all  that  is  in  the 
heaven,  and  in  the  earth  is  his  ;  the  kingdom  is  his,  and  he  is  ex- 
alted, as  head  above  all.  Both  riches  and  honour  come  of  him, 
and  ^e  reigneth  over  all ;  arid  in  his  hand  is  power  and  might ; 
and  in  his  hand  it  is  to  make  great,  and  to  give  strength  unto 
all.  He  doeth  according  to  his  tuill,  in  the  army  of  heaven,  and 
among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  He  guides  the  celestial 
spheres,  and  he  gives  the  young  ravens  their  food.     Not  a  sparrow 


48  SERMON  III. 

iihall  fall  on  the  ground  without  him  ;  and,  by  him,   the  very 
hairs  of  our  heads  are  all  numbered. 

Look  abroad,  then,  througli  creation  j  survey  the  system  of 
nature,  and  the  economy  of  providence.  Do  you  behold  in  this 
boundless  scene  of  wonders  rising  on  wonders,  stupendous  dis- 
plays of  illimitable  power,  and  wisdom,  and  goodness  ?  These 
are  the  perfections  of  Jehovah.  The  heavens  declare  his  glory, 
the  firmament  sheweth  his  handy  work.  The  earth  is  full  of 
HIS  riches  ;  and  so  is  the  great  and  wide  sea.  Well,  then,  might 
the  Psalmist  of  Israel  exclaim.  When  I  consider  thy  heavens,  the 
work  of  thy  fingers,  the  moon  and  the  stars  which  thou  hast  or- 
dained :  what  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him  ?  and  the  son 
of  man,  that  thou  visitest  him  I  Surely,  a  mere  glimpse  of  the 
majestick  glorj^  of  Jehovah  is  enough  to  make  any  created  be- 
ing, any  man  on  earth,  any  seraph  in  heaven,  feel  that  he  is 
nothing,  and  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity. 

III.  Jehovah  is  infinitely  holy.  It  was  this,  more  especially, 
which  impressed  the  adoring  seraphim  with  awe  ;  it  was  this, 
which  they  celebrated  with  responsive  ascription ;  it  was  this, 
which  prostrated  the  humbled  prophet  in  the  dust.  Holy,  holy, 
holy,  is  Jehovah  God  of  hosts.  So  John,  in  the  Revelation, 
heard  the  heavenly  anthem.  Great  and  marvellous  are  thy  works. 
Lord  God  Almighty  ;  just  and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou  King  of 
saints.  Who  shall  not  fear  thee,  O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name; 
for  thou  only  art  holy.  The  primary  idea  of  holiness  is,  separa- 
tion from  whatsoever  defileth  ;  from  all  pollution,  from  all  evil. 
Eliphaz,  in  Job,  says,  What  is  m,an,  that  he  should  be  clean  ?  i.  e. 
holy  ?  and  he  that  is  born  of  a  woman,  that  he  should  be  right- 
eous ?  Behold,  he  putteth  no  trust  in  his  saints :  yea,  the  heavens 
are  not  clean,  or  holy,  in  his  sight.  But  are  not  the  heavens 
clean  ?  Are  not  the  cherubim  and  seraphim,  and  all  the  angels 
of  light,  holy  .''  In  a  sense,  they  unquestionably  are  ;  but,  in 
comparison  of  God,  they  are  not.  They  are  exempt,  indeed, 
from  sin ;  they  are  separate  from  pollution  ;  but  they  are  not,  in 
themselves,  exempt  from  the  possibility  of  sinning ;  they  are  not 
at  an  infinite  remove  from  pollution.  Some  of  the  angels, 
once  holy,  kept  not  their  first  estate ;  but  passed  over  the  line  of 


SERMON  m.  49 

separation  between  rectitude  and  iniquity,  and  plunged  into  an 
abyss  of  corruption  and  guilt.  The  rest  of  the  heavenly  hosts 
might  also  have  sinned,  and  would  be  still  hable  to  fall,  were  it 
not  that  they  are  kept  by  the  mighty  power  and  sovereign  good- 
ness of  God.  Well,  then,  may  it  be  said,  that  he  puttcth  no 
trust  in  his  saints  ;  and  the  heavens  are  not  clean  in  his  sight. 
But  Jehovah  is  separated  from  sin,  from  pollution,  from  all  evil, 
to  an  immeasurable  distance.  There  is,  in  his  self-existent  and 
unchangeable  nature,  an  utter  impossibility  of  doing  wrong,  of 
being  polluted.  His  unhmited  perfections  are  eternally  and  im- 
mutably engaged  for  whatever  is  pure  and  good ;  and  arrayed 
in  terrible  majesty  against  whatever  is  impure  and  evil.  He, 
therefore,  he  only  is  holy,  in  the  same  sense  that  he  only  hath 
immortality.  This  the  glowing  seraphim  near  his  throne  pro- 
foundly felt,  and  always  must  feel ;  and,  feehng  this,  no  wonder 
that  they  cover  their  faces  and  their  feet,  in  token  of  the  deepest 
reverence  and  conscious  unworthiness. 

But,  how  much  more  abominable  and  fdthy  is  man,  who 
drinketh  iniquity  like  water !  When  the  Lord  has  looked  down 
from  heaven  upon  the  children  of  men,  he  has  seen  that  they  are 
all  gone  aside,  that  they  are  together  become  filthy  ;  there  is  none 
that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one.  The  holiest  persons  on  earth  are 
ready  to  subscribe  to  this  affecting  description,  and  to  apply  it  to 
themselves ;  and  especially  so,  when  they  are  favoured  with  any 
clear  view  of  the  beauty  of  holiness,  and  the  glory  of  Him  who 
only  is  holy.  They  are  ready,  with  deep  consciousness,  to  con- 
fess that  they  themselves  were  by  nature  children  of  wrath,  even  as 
others; — altogether  as  an  unclean  thing.  If,  indeed,  tiiey  have 
been  washed,  and  sanctified,  and  justified,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God  ;  still,  they  are  far, 
very  far,  from  being  without  sin.  Much,  very  much,  of  native 
corruption,  of  pride,  and  carnality,  of  evil  propensities,  affections, 
and  passions,  remains  in  them  ;  often,  still,  they  offend,  and  in 
all  things  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God.  Whenever,  therefore, 
they  have  a  clear  view  of  the  divine  glory,  they  cannot  fail,  in 
the  bright  effulgence  of  infinite  purify,  to  be  deeply  sensible  of 


50  SERMON  m. 

their  own  vileness,  or  to  see  cause  for  the  profoundest  humihty 
and  self-abasement. 

IV.  It  is  especially  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  the  glory 
of  Jehovah  is  to  be  seen  by  men.  JVo  man  hath  seen  God  at 
any  time ;  the  only  begotten  Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the 
Father,  he  hath  declared  him.  The  Son  of  God  came  down 
from  heaven  to  redeem  and  save  our  guilty  and  perishing  world. 
Through  the  Eternal  Sjpirit,  he  offered  himself  ivithout  spot  to 
God,  bearing  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.  Having  thus 
obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us,  he  ascended  up  where  he  was 
before,  and  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high,  a 
Prince  and  a  Saviour,  to  give  repentance  and  remission  of  sins. 
By  his  mighty  power  and  grace,  he  is  raising  up,  from  our  ruined 
nature,  unnumbered  millions,  pardoned  through  the  merits  of  his 
sacrifice,  and  cleansed  by  the  efficacy  of  his  blood,  to  dwell  for- 
ever with  him,  in  the  mansions  of  immortal  light,  and  purity,  and 
blessedness.  These  things  the  admiring  and  astonished  angels 
desire  to  look  into  ;  in  these,  they  behold  brighter  displays  of  the 
perfections  of  Jehovah,  than  they  see  even  in  the  stupendous 
frame  and  economy  of  nature ;  and  it  is  on  account  especially  of 
these,  that  they  cry,  with  responsive  adoration,  the  whole  earth 
is  full  of  his  glory. 

It  is  here,  also,  in  the  person  and  work  of  the  Redeemer, 
that  saints  behold  the  glory  of  God.  And  is  it  possible  that,  in 
a  clear  view  of  this  glory,  they  should  not  see  cause  for  the 
deepest  humility  and  self-abasement .''  They  see  him,  who  is 
the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  vailed  in  mortal  flesh — him, 
who  was  rich,  for  their  sakes,  become  poor.  They  see  him  on 
the  cross,  in  the  depths  of  ignominy  and  distress,  making  his  soul 
an  offering  for  sin, — for  their  sin.  They  see  him  on  the  throne 
of  heaven,  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  there  interceding  for 
them ;  there  pleading  the  merits  of  his  own  bloody  sacrifice  for  the 
pardon  of  their  sins,  and  for  their  justification  unto  everlasting 
life.  Can  they  see  all  this,  and  not  be  overwhelmed  with  a 
conviction  of  the  depths  of  that  misery,  from  which  they  could 
have  been  rescued,  only  by  an  almighty  arm ;  of  the  infinity  of 
that  guilt,  which  could  have  been  expiated,  only  by  the  sacrifice 


SERMON  III.  51 

of  the  Son  of  God  ;  of  the  inbred  and  inveterate  poUnlion  of 
soul,  which  could  have  been  cleansed  away,  only  by  blood 
of  divine  efficacy ;  of  that  amazing  unworthiness,  which  could 
have  been  so  countervailed  as  to  admit  of  their  appearing  with 
acceptance  in  the  presence  of  God,  only  by  the  merits  of  Him 
who  is  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  separate  from  sinners,  and  made 
higher  than  the  heavens !  Surely,  the  holiest  person  on  earth,  in 
view  of  the  divine  glory,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  must  feel 
this  conviction,  and  be  ready  to  adopt  the  words  of  the  prophet, 
as  rendered  by  Bishop  Lowth  :  Alas  forme  !  I  am  struck  dumb: 
for  I  am  a  man  of  polluted  lips  ;  and  in  the  midst  of  a  people  of 
polluted  lips  do  I  dwell :  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  the  King,  Je- 
hovah God  of  hosts. 

REFLECTIONS. 

1.  There  is  no  good  reason  to  wonder  at  the  confessions  of 
vileness,  or  the  expressions  of  self-abasement,  and  self-abhor- 
rence, which  ai-e  heard  from  pious  persons. 

Isaiah,  whose  affecting  words  we  have  been  considering,  was 
undoubtedly,  let  it  again  be  noted,  a  man  of  distinguished  piety. 
Of  Job  the  Lord  himself  said,  There  is  none  like  him  in  the 
earth,  a  perfect  and  an  upright  man,  one  that  feareth  God  and 
escheiveth  evil ;  yet  him  we  hear  saying,  Behold  I  am  vile,  I 
have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  but  now  mine  eye 
seeth  thee  ;  wherefore,  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and 
ashes.  David,  also,  the  Lord  calls  a  man  after  his  own  heart; 
yet  David  prays.  Wash  me  thoroughly  from  mine  iniquity,  and 
cleanse  me  from  my  sin.     For  I  acknowledge  my  transgression; 

and  my  sin  is  ever  before  me Behold  I  was  shapen  in 

iniquity,  and  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive  me Create  in 

me  a  clean  heart,  O  God  ;  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me. 
And  Paul,  with  all  his  attainments  in  grace,  says.  We  know 
that  the  law  is  spiritual,  but  I  am  carnal,  sold  under  sin.  I  see 
a  law  in  my  members,  warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and 
bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  ivhich  is  in  my  mem- 
bers. O  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  thr 
body  of  this  death. 


52  SERMON   111. 

Such  is  the  language  of  ancient  saints  of  preeminent  piety  j 
and  language  similar  to  this,  we  not  seldom  hear  from  the  pious 
of  modern  times.  At  such  language,  however,  many  are  apt  to 
wonder.  Not  a  few,  indeed,  allowed  themselves  even  to  scoff, 
and  impute  all  expressions  of  this  kind  to  wild  fanaticism,  brood- 
ing melancholy,  or  detestable  hypocrisy.  And  others,  of  more 
sober  minds,  think  it  strange,  that  persons  of  the  greatest  purity 
of  life,  and  apparent  sincerity  and  ardour  of  devotion,  should  ex- 
press such  views  and  feelings.  But  the  wonder,  my  friends, 
should  be,  that  any  of  our  sinful  race  can  live,  especially  under 
the  light  of  revelation,  without  views  and  feelings  of  this  kind, 
deeper  even  than  any  which  the  pious  have  ever  expressed. 
It  is  not  because  these  pious  persons  have  greater  corruption  of 
heart,  or  are  chargeable  with  more  or  greater  sins,  than  others  ; 
but,  because  they  have  clearer  discoveries  of  the  infinite  holiness, 
and  glory  of  God ;  and,  in  the  light  of  these  discoveries,  see 
more  of  their  unlikeness  to  him,  their  unholiness  of  heart  and 
life,  that  they  feel  and  express  this  sense  of  personal  pollution. 
And,  generally,  persons  of  the  highest  attainments  in  grace,  and 
of  the  most  spiritual  and  heavenly  minds,  will  have  the  most 
affecting  sense  of  sin,  and  the  deepest  feelings  of  conscious  vile- 
ness,  and  self-abhorrence.     Hence, 

2.  Not  to  be  sensible  of  personal  pollution  and  vileness,  must 
be  evidence  of  deplorable  spiritual  blindness. 

It  is  spiritual  blindness,  my  hearers,  which  prevents  our  see- 
ing the  glory  of  Jehovah,  in  all  his  works  around  us,  and,  with 
still  brighter  lustre,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  If  we  saw  this 
glory,  we  should  certainly  feel,  in  a  measure,  as  the  humbled 
Isaiah  felt.  Unable  to  abide  its  resplendence,  and  conscious  of 
their  unworthiness  to  behold  it,  the  most  exalted  seraphim  cover 
their  faces.  Alas  !  how  little  have  we  felt  like  the  adoring  sera- 
phim !  how  little  like  the  humbled  prophet !  How  often  have  we 
come  before  Jehovah  in  his  sacred  temple,  and  at  his  holy  ordi- 
nances, where  his  name  is  recorded  and  proclaimed,  and  his 
glory,  especially  as  displayed  in  our  redemption,  is  exhibited, 
with  little  or  no  sense  of  his  awful  purity  and  majesty,  or  of  our 
unworthiness  to  appear  in  his  presence  !    While  others,  perhaps 


SEllMON  III.  o^ 

near  us,  have  felt  it  to  be,  in  truth,  the  house  of  God,  and  the 
gate  of  heaven,  and  have  seen  a  glory,  by  which  their  mind? 
have  been  overwhelmed,  and  their  hearts  dissolved,  to  us  it  has 
been  no  other,  than  a  common  place,  and  a  vacant  scene.  How 
deplorable,  then,  must  have  been  our  spiritual  blindness  !  And 
if  it  has  always  been  thus  with  us,  what  must  we  think  of  our- 
selves .'*  Have  we  the  light  of  life .''  Are  we  not,  rather,  in  dark^ 
iiess  until  now '^  How  must  the  angels  have  been  astonished; 
(for  angels,  we  are  not  to  doubt,  are  present  in  the  house  of 
God  ;)  how  astonished,  then,  must  they  have  been,  to  witness 
with  what  little  reverence  and  awe,  we,  sinful  beings,  approach 
the  presence  of  Him,  before  whom  they  feel  themselves  un- 
worthy to  stand  !  with  what  little  feehng,  with  what  indifference 
even  we  attend  upon  solemnities,  in  which  life  and  death,  from 
the  infinite  mercy  or  the  infinite  justice  of  God,  are  set  before 
us.'' 

3.  We  should  be  led  to  admire  the  unspeakable  grace,   and 
forbearance,  and  condescension  of  God. 

Deep  as  are  our  corruptions  and  pollutions,  countless  and 
aggravated  as  are  our  offences,  deplorable  and  inexcusable  as 
are  our  blindness  and  stupefaction,  yet  he  is  waiting  lo  be 
gracious ;  still  favours  us  with  his  sacred  institutions ;  and  still 
invites  us,  with  the  importunity  and  pathos  of  infinite  mercy,  to 
draw  near  to  him,  take  hold  on  strength,  and  make  peace.  Nor 
is  this  all :  Though  the  Lord  be  high,  yet  hath  he  respect  unto 
the  lowly. — Thus  saith  the  High  and  Lofty  One,  that  inhahiteth 
eternity,  whose  name  is  holy  ;  /  dwell  in  the  high  and  holy 
place  ;  with  him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit,  to 
revive  the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the  heart  of  the  con- 
trite ones. — The  bruised  reed  he  ivill  not  break,  the  smoking  fax 
he  will  not  quench,  until  he  bring  forth  judgment  unto  viciory ^ 
At  his  command  one  of  the  seraphim  few  to  the  contrite  Isaiah, 
with  a  live  coal  from  the  altar,  and  laid  it  upon  his  mouth,  and 
said,  Lo  this  hath  touched  thy  lips,  and  thine  iniquity  is  taken 
away,  and  thy  sin  is  purged.  The  altar  of  atoning  sacrifice  still 
remains,  with  unexhausted,  undiminished  efficacy.  And  be  as- 
sured, ye  humble  and  contrite  ones,  that  your  iniquity  also  shall 


54  SERMON   III. 

be  taken  away,  and  all  your  sin  will  be  purged.  Unworthy  and 
polluted  as  you  feel  yourselves  to  be,  yet,  having  washed  your 
robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  you  shall 
ere  long  appear  with  acceptance  before  the  glorious  high  throne 
of  your  God,  and  shall  worship  him  day  and  night  in  his  heaven- 
ly temple  forever. 

But,  ah  !  what  will  become  of  you,  O  ye  who  continue  in 
sin  ;  unhumbled,  unpardoned,  uncleansed  ?  How  can  you,  with 
all  your  pollutions  upon  you,  appear  before  Him,  in  whose  sight 
the  heavens  are  not  clean,  and  the  unspotted  seraphim  cover  their 
faces.'*  Verily,  owr  God  is  a  consuming Jire ;  and  the  unsancti- 
fied  can  never  abide  his  presence.  Apply,  then,  without  delay, 
to  the  blood  which  cleanseth  from  all  sin,  lest  you  be  finally  shut 
out  from  heaven,  and  be  consigned,  with  the  abominable  and 
tmclean,  to  blackness  and  darkness  forever. — Amen. 


SERMON  IV, 


SIN  EXCEEDING  SINFUL, 


Romans  vri.  13. 
That  sin  by  the  commandment  might  become  exceeding  sinful. 

X  HERE  is  scarcely  a  more  deplorable  trait  in  the  character 
of  mankind,  than  their  insensibility  to  the  evil  of  sin.  How 
often  do  we  hear  persons  confess  that  they  are  sinners,  with  little 
or  no  emotion,  compunction,  or  concern.  How  often  has  the 
faithful  minister  of  Christ  occasion  to  lament,  with  the  deepest 
sorrow  and  heaviness  of  heart,  this  strange  and  awfully  porten- 
tous insensibility,  even  in  persons  on  the  bed  of  sickness,  on  the 
brink  of  the  grave,  and  just  ready  to  be  summoned  to  their  last 
account.  Yet,  if  there  is  any  thing  important  for  us,  as  fallen 
creatures,  on  probation  for  everlasting  retribution,  it  is  that  iv&_^ 
be  convinced,  not  only  that  we  are  sinners,  but  that  sin  is  an 
evil  and  bitter  thing.  Until  we  feel  this  conviction,  we  shall  see 
but  little  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  gospel,  shall  esteem  but 
lightly  the  salvation  which  it  offers,  and  shall  not  be  very  likely 
to  become  partakers  of  this  salvation.  '  Fooh  make  a  mock  atf 
sin.     They  make  light  of  it. 

Paul  himself,  according  to  the  strong  ana'  affecting  represen- 
tation of  his  case  in  the  context,  was  once,  like  others,  in  a  state 
of  dreadful  ignorance  and  insensibility,  in  regard  to  sin.  For  1 
was  alive,  he  says,  without  the  law  once  :  hut  when  the  commaw^- 


56  SERMON   IV; 

me7it  came,  sin  revived^  and  I  died.  Though  he  had  often  heard 
and  read  the  dhine  law,  yet  he  had  not  perceived  its  spirituality 
and  extent ;  and,  therefore,  so  far  from  feeling  himself  to  be  in 
a  lost  condition,  in  a  state  of  condemnation  to  eternal  death,  he 
fondly  imagined  that  he  was  in  the  direct  way  to  everlasting  life. 
But  when,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  commandment 
was  set  home  to  his  conscience,  he  perceived  and  felt  that  he 
was  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  The  law,  he  says,  is  holy ; 
and  the  commandment  is  holy,  and  just,  and  good.  Was  then 
that  which  is  good  made  death  unto  me  ?  God  forbid.  But  sin, 
that  it  might  appear  sin,  working  death  in  me,  by  that  ivhich  is 
good  ;  that  sin,  by  the  commandment,  might  become,  \.  e.  might 
be  made  to  appear  to  be,  exceeding  sinful. 

The  text,  without  comment,  very  naturally  leads  us  to  con- 
sider THE  EVIL,  OF  SIN;  and  most  earnestly  would  I  solicit  a 
very  serious  attention  to  some  plain  considerations,  which  may 
serve  to  illustrate  and  impress  the  subject. 

I.  The  evil  of  sin  may  appear,  from  a  view  of  the  obliga- 
tions which  it  violates. 

We  shall  all  admit  that  every  relation  in  which  we  stand  to 
others,  produces  correspondent  obligations,  which  it  is  wrong  to  ** 
violate.  Are  we  children  ^  We  are  then  bound  to  the  love  of 
our  parents.  Their  protection  of  our  infancy,  their  support  of 
our  childhood,  their  care,  their  instruction,  their  urmumbered 
kindnesses,  and  their  incessant  sohcitude  and  watchfulness, 
claim  from  us  the  returns  of  obedience,  submission,  love,  grati- 
tude, and  reverence.  Are  we  tlie  offspring  of  misfortune,  early 
bequeathed,  as  orphans,  to  the  arms  of  charity,  and  indebted  to 
the  tenderness  of  a  benefactor  for  all  the  comforts  we  enjoy .'' 
His  voluntary  anxiety,  and  unwearied  benevolence,  demand  from 
us  continual  gratitude,  and  every  possible  proof  of  it,  in  all  our 
conduct  through  life.  Ai'e  we  members  of  a  state,  receiving 
benetits  from  its  laws,  authorities,  and  civil  regulations  ^  Then 
we  are  naturally  required  to  yield  back  loyalty,  obedience, 
respect,  and  all  the  returns  of  quiet  and  peaceable  lives.  These 
obligations  are  plain,  intelligible,  and  acknowledged.  We  con- 
demn, without  hesitation,   an  unduiifii)  and  neglectful  child,   an 


SERMON  IV.  57 

ungrateful  offender  against  a  disinterested  benefactor,  a  rebel 
against  rightful  authority,  a  despiser  of  law  and  good  order. 
We  perceive,  at  once,  in  their  characters,  something  unnatural, 
unbecoming,  base,  and  detestable.  But,  my  hearers,  far  more 
than  all  these  relations  involve,  is  contained  in  that,  in  which  we 
stand  to  God.  Open  the  Bible,  and  observe  how  Jehovah 
claims  the  titles,  of  a  Father,  of  a  Benefactor,  of  a  Master,  of  a 
King.  Nor  can  any  thing  be  more  just  than  these  claims.  The 
guilt,  therefore,  of  sinning  against  him,  of  violating  any  of  his 
laws,  cannot  be  less,  than  the  guilt  of  violating  similar  obligations 
in  domestick,  social,  and  civil  life.  Attend,  for  a  moment,  to  the 
language  of  scripture.  Hear,  O  heavens,  and  give  ear,  O  earth; 
for  the  Lord  hath  spoken;  J  have  nourished  and  brought  up 
children,  and  they  have  rebelled  against  me.  O  generation,  see 
ye  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Have  I  been  a  wilderness  unto  Israel  ? 
a  land  of  darkness?  Wherefore  say  my  people,  We  are  lords  ; 
we  will  come  no  more  unto  thee  ?  What  could  have  been  done 
more  to  my  vineyard,  that  I  have  not  done  in  it.  Wherefore, 
when  Hooked  that  it  should  bring  forth  grapes,  brought  it  forth 
wild  grapes  ?  Surely,  as  a  wife  treacherously  departeth  from  her 
husband,  so  have  ye  dealt  treacherously  with  me,  O  house  of 
Israel.  Ji  son  honoureth  his  father,  and  a  servant  his  master. 
If,  then,  I  be  a  father,  ivhere  is  mine  honour  ?  and  if  I  be  a  mas- 
ter, where  is  my  fear  ?  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts.  These  solemn 
appeals  should  cairy  conviction  home  to  every  breast,  that  the 
guilt  of  sinning  against  God,  of  violating  our  obligations  to  him, 
certainly  cannot  be  less  tlian  that  of  offending  against  our  fellow 
beings,  of  violating  domestick,  social,  and  civil  ties. 

But  a  still  higher  consideration  demands  our  attention. 
Higher,  infinitely  higher,  and  more  sacred  obligations,  than  any 
which  bind  us  to  our  fellow  creatures,  bind  us  to  the  Almighty. 
He  is  our  God  ;  our  Creator,  and  our  Preserver.  We  owe  tiie 
existence  of  our  bodies,  and  of  our  souls,  to  his  power  and  good- 
ness. We  are  completely  dependent  ujjon  his  care.  We  pos- 
sess nothing,  which  we  have  not  received  from  him.  And  he  is 
good,  infinitely  good,  and  worthy  of  all  our  love  and  devotion. 
Can  words  express,   then,  the  daring  ;p'>oll;o;->,  whirh  disobedi- 


58  SERMON  IV. 

ence  to  his  laws  implies  ?  It  is  the  rising  up  of  the  clay  against 
the  potter ;  of  the  creature,  against  the  hand  that  gave  and  that 
upholds  its  being ;  of  a  vile  worm  of  the  dust,  against  infinite 
majesty,  and  infinite  goodness.  Nor  must  we  stop  here.  God 
has  found  a  ransom  for  us.  In  the  person  of  his  Son,  he  has 
given  his  own  blood  for  our  redemption. 

Do  we,  then,  ask  the  guilt  of  offending  God  .''  It  is  that  of 
the  blackest  ingratitude  ;  of  the  most  nefarious  contumacy.  It 
is  that  of  abusing  infinite  kindness  and  compassion  ;  of  insulting 
him,  who  unites  in  himself  the  venerable  characters  of  Father, 
Sovereign,  and  Friend ;  and  who  invests  these  characters  with 
unimaginable  interest  and  awe,  by  the  addition  of  the  adorable 
names  of  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Redeemer.  Who  can  meas- 
ure the  obligations,  by  which  we  are  bound  to  such  a  being  ? 
And  who,  then,  can  measure  the  crime,  the  guilt,  which  a  viola- 
tion of  these  obligations  involves  .'*  If,  even  in  the  joyous  service 
of  such  a  being,  the  angels  vail  their  faces,  awed  by  his  ineffable 
purity  and  majesty,  O  who  can  tell  the  nature  of  the  deed,  when 
a  frail  tenant  of  the  dust  hfts  up  his  feeble  unhallowed  arm,  in 
defiance  of  the  will,  in  contempt  of  the  authority,  in  despite  of 
the  mercy  of  his  God  ? 

II.  The  evil  of  sin  may  appear  from  the  actual  effects  it  has 
produced  in  the  world. 

We  are  accustomed  to  measure  any  evil  by  the  quantity  of 
misery  it  produces.  Let  us  use  the  same  standard  here,  and 
learn  the  malignity  of  sin,  by  remarking  the  dreadful  calamities, 
publick  and  private,  which  it  has  produced.  In  respect  to  pub- 
lick  or  national  calamities,  I  am  well  aware  that  we  are  far  too 
ready  to  impute  them  to  the  influence  of  second  causes,  and  to 
look  for  their  source  in  political  errours,  and  other  circumstances, 
which  imply  no  guilt  in  ourselves ;  and,  therefore,  instead  of 
noticing  those  publick  miseries  and  sorrows,  which  have  come 
within  our  own  experience,  I  would  rather  refer  to  those  similar, 
but  yet  more  dreadful  calamities,  which  are  recorded  in  scrip- 
ture, wilh  this  special  comment,  written  with  the  finger  of  God, 
that  they  were  his  judgments,  brought  on  mankind  for  their 
wickedness. 


SERMON  IV.  59 

Open,  tlien,  the  book  of  God,  and  scarcely  are  we  advanced 
in  tlie  history  of  the  creation,  to  rejoice  with  the  first  happy  pro- 
genitors and  representatives  of  our  race,  on  the  glorious  exist- 
ence to  which  they  had  been  elevated,  before  we  are  compelled 
to  bewail  with  them  in  the  dust,  its  debasement  and  ruin.  They 
transgressed  the  law  of  their  Maker,  and  their  punishment  imme- 
diately commenced.  No  longer  did  they  bear  the  image  of 
God  ;  no  longer  did  they  behold  that  tree  of  life,  which  was 
either  the  source  or  the  pledge  of  immortality.  A  dark  and  por- 
tentous cloud  lowered  upon  the  future ;  and  the  tremendous 
declaration,  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return,  was 
but  too  speedily  verified  in  the  murder  of  a  beloved  son,  by  the 
hand  of  his  brother.  Thus  Adam's  sin  "brought  death  into  the 
W'orld,  and  all  our  woes." 

Advancing  in  the  page  of  scripture,  we  perceive  that,  crc 
long,  the  earth  become  populous  ;  and  in  proportion  to  its  popu- 
lation was  the  prevalence  of  wickedness.  It  w'as  soon  Jilled 
with  violence,  and  threatened  with  an  awful  destruction.  Yet, 
for  an  hundred  and  twenty  years,  the  divine  forbearance  was 
signally  exercised ;  but,  alas,  men  went  on  still  in  their  tres- 
passes. The  warnings  of  Noah  w^ere  uttered  in  vain  ;  and  in 
vain  w^as  the  ark  prepared,  in  the  view  of  an  unbelieving  and 
scofHng  world.  At  length,  Jehovah  made  bare  his  holy  arm  ; 
the  windows  of  heaven  were  opened;  the  fountains  of  the  great 
deep  ivere  broken  up  ;  the  earth  was  overwhelmed  with  a  flood  ; 
and  the  world  of  the  ungodly  was  destroyed.  Yes,  with  the 
exception  of  a  single  family,  the  whole  race  of  mankind  was 
swept  away  ;  and  the  awful  event  is  held  up  to  the  universe,  as 
an  eternal  monument  of  tlie  evil  of  sin,  and  of  the  indignation  of 
the  Almighty  against  it. 

In  the  destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  mark  a  similar 
lesson.  The  men  of  these  cities  being  wicked,  and  sinners  be- 
fore the  Lord  exceedingly,  fire  and  brimstone  were  commissioned 
from  heaven  to  overwhelm  these  daring  rebels  against  the  Most 
High.  Trace  on  the  subject  through  the  succeeding  history, 
and,  in  the  tremendous  plagues  of  Egypt ;  in  the  awful  tcrrours  oi 
mount  Sinai :  in  the  destruction  of  Korah  and  his  company ;  in 


GO  SERMON  IV. 

the  pangs  of  the  people  stung  by  fiery  serpents  ;  in  the  cruel 
captivity  and  prostration  of  the  whole  nation  of  Israel  at  the  feet 
of  the  king  of  Babylon,  behold  the  proofs  of  the  divine  ven- 
geance against  sin.  O,  how  instructive,  and  how  touching  is  the 
lesson,  which  the  melancholy  confessions  of  the  remnant  of 
that  people  imports.  We  all  do  fade  as  a  leaf,  and  our  iniqui- 
ties, like  the  wind,  have  taken  us  away  ;  for  thou  hast  hid  thy 
face  from  us,  and  consumed  us  for  our  iniquities. 

These  facts  are  recorded  for  our  warning ;  and,  guided  by 
them,  we  are  led  to  attribute  the  slaughter,  the  oppression,  the 
slavery,  the  wretchedness,  the  wo,  with  which  the  earth  is  filled, 
to  sin,  as  their  dreadful  source.  Every  publick  calamity  is  the 
loud,  though,  alas,  often  unheard  voice  of  God,  proclaiming  that 
iniquity  is  the  ruin  of  man. 

If,  then,  from  publick,  we  turn  to  the  scriptural  details  of 
private  and  individual  calamity,  the  same  truth  will  meet  our 
eye.  Does  Cain  go  out  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  a  fugi- 
tive and  a  vagabond  in  the  earth  ?  Are  Nadab  and  Abihu  con- 
sumed by  fire  from  heaven,  at  the  very  altar  of  God  ^  Is  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, who  was  exalted  as  the  eagle,  and  had  his  nest 
among  the  stars,  yet  levelled  with  the  brutes  of  the  earth  f  Are 
Ananias  and  Sapphira,  who  united  in  the  same  impiety,  instant- 
ly cast  into  the  same  grave  ^  Is  Herod  struck  by  the  hand  of 
God,  even  upon  the  summit  of  his  throne  ?  These  judgments 
from  the  Lord  most  signally  attest  the  evil  of  sin.  And  is  not 
the  misery,  which  still  sinks  the  spirits  of  man  to  the  earth  ; 
which  attacks  him  under  the  various  shapes  of  disease,  and 
{poverty,  and  dereliction,  and  tears,  and  death,  equally  imputa- 
ble to  the  same  cause  ^  Are  not  all  these  the  dire  effects  of  sin, 
the  tremendous  mai'ks  of  God's  displeasure  against  the  ungodli- 
ness of  men?  And  even  upon  the  penitent,  though  changed  by  a 
Father's  kindness  to  the  gentlest  chastisements  of  love,  do  not 
these  calamities  still  fall  with  sufficient  weight  to  bow  them  to 
the  dust,  when  they  turn,  with  bitter  recollections,  to  the  true 
source  from  whence  afflictions  spring  ? 

III.  The  evil  of  sin  will  still  more  fearfully  appear,  if  we  ad- 
vert to  the  misery  which  it  will  produce  hereafter. 


SERMON  IV.  61 

If  tlie  gospel  has  brought  Ufe  and  inimortality  to  light,  it  has, 
also,  stripped  hell  and  destruction  ol'  their  covering.  It  has  dis- 
closed the  awful  truth,  that,  striking  and  terrifick  as  are  the 
traces  of  divine  wrath  in  this  world,  they  are  as  nothing,  when 
compared  with  those  which  will  be  manifested  in  the  next. 
The  delay  of  vengeance  ought  not,  therefore,  to  give  courage  to 
transgressors,  who,  could  they  see 

"The  dawu  of  Christ's  last  advent,  long  desir'd, 
Would  creep  into  the  bowels  of  the  hills, 
And  flee  for  refuge  to  the  falling  rocks." 

The  images,  under  which  the  future  punishment  of  sin  is 
described,  are  tlie  strongest  which  could  be  suggested,  as  in- 
telligible to  men,  in  the  present  world.  They  are  taken  from 
the  most  dreadful  sources  and  instruments  of  pain  and  horror, 
with  which  we  ai'e  acquainted.  The  torments  av/aiting  the 
wretched  offenders,  who  shall  reject  every  effort  of  forbearance, 
every  offer  of  mercy,  are  compared  to  the  gnawing  of  the  worm 
which  dieth  not,  to  tlie  fire,  which  is  not  quenched.  They  that 
obey  not  the  gospel  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power. 
Their  immortal  souls  will  be  forever  banished  from  light  and 
from  hope  ;  will  be  shut  out  from  every  joy  allotted  to  the  right- 
eous ;  Avill  feel  the  full  curse  of  sin,  without  any  of  its  pleasures; 
will  experience  that  remorse,  and  anguish,  and  enmity  against 
God,  which  result  from  conscious  guilt,  and  indignant  despair  ; 
that  unutterable  wo,  which  the  round  of  eternal  ages  will  not  ex- 
haust nor  diminish.  What  tongue,  then,  can  tell,  what  heart 
can  conceive,  the  amazing  evil  of  sin  f 

IV.  The  evil  of  sin  is  evinced  by  the  infinite  price  at  which 
provision  for  pardon  has  been  procured. 

Turn  your  eyes  to  Calvary,  and  behold  him  who  was  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Father  before  the  worlds  were  made ;  him,  by 
whom  all  things  were  created  and  are  upheld  ;  him,  who  thought 
it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,  and  whom  all  the  angels  of 
heaven  honour,  even  as  they  honour  the  Father ;  behold  him 
clothed  with  human  flesh,  suffering,  bleeding,  dying  ;  wounded 
for  our  transgressions,  bruised  for  our  iniquities,  pouring  out  his 


A 


62  SERMON   IV. 

soul  unto  deal]),  as  a  propitiation  for  sin.  The  sun  is  darkened; 
ibe  eariii  shakes  to  its  centre  ;  all  nature  gives  signs  of  consterna- 
tion and  wo  !  But,  why  this  amazing  scene  ?  It  is  all  because  of 
sin.  Owhat  should  we  think  of  transgression,  when  we  look  on 
this  awful  spectacle .''  What  should  be  our  estimate  of  the  evil  of 
sin,  when,  to  the  innumerable  obligations  which  it  violates,  to 
the  judgments  which  it  has  brought  upon  the  world,  and  to  the 
torments  which  it  has  yet  in  store  for  the  wicked,  this  is  added, 
that  it  could  meet  no  pardon,  but  through  the  sacrifice  and  death 
of  the  Son  of  God  ? 

Shall  we,  then,  continue  in  sin  ? — Ye,  who  hope  that  your 
sins  ai-e  pardoned  ;  who  proiess  to  be  reconciled  to  God,  through 
the  death  of  his  Son,  and  to  be  looking  for  the  mercy  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life  ;  will  you,  nevertheless,  turn 
again  to  sin  .''  Can  you  tiiink  lightly  of  indulging  evil  tempers, 
feelings,  and  passions .'' — of  cherishing  envy,  hatred,  prejudice, 
and  an  unforgiving  spirit  ^ — of  evincing  in  conversation  and  con- 
duct a  want  of  that  charity,  which  is  the  end  of  the  command- 
ment, which  suffereth  long  and  is  kind,  doth  not  behave  itself  un- 
seemly, seekcth  not  her  own,  is  not  easily  provoked,  thinketh  no 
evil  9 — of  conforming  to  the  spirit  of  the  world,  omitting  things 
which  you  ought  to  do,  and  doing  things  which  you  ought  not  ? — 
of  wounding  your  brethren,  injurmg  others,  bringing  reproach 
upon  religion  and  dishonour  upon  God.^ — of  even  violating  your 
sacred  vows,  and  crucifying  the  Son  of  God  afresh,  putting  him 
to  open  shame  ?  O  christians,  what  manner  of  persons  ought  you 
to  he,  in  all  holy  conversation  and  godliness,  hating  every  false 
way,  and  fleeing  even  the  appearance  of  evil  t 

And  you,  my  dear  hearers,  who  do  not  even  suppose  that 
your  sins  are  forgiven,  can  you,  any  longer,  make  light  of  sin  .'' 
Will  you  not  be  convinced,  that  it  is,  indeed,  an  evil  thing  and 
bitter  ^  That,  already,  it  has  brought  you  into  a  state  of  con- 
demnation and  death,  and  of  exposure,  under  the  displeasure  of 
God,  to  everlasting  despair  and  wo  ^  Can  you  resolve  to  con- 
tinue in  sin,  and  to  know  the  full  measure  of  infamy  and  an- 
guish, which  it  will  assuredly  bring  upon  the  finally  impenitent.^ 
O  be  entreated  to  pause,   and   reflect.     Seriously   apply  your 


SERMON   IV.  63 

minds  to  the  solemn  considerations  which  have  now  been  oiTered. 
Against  the  emjjty,   dekisive  pleasures  of  siti  for  a  season,   de- 
liberately weigh  the   substantial   and  immortal  joys,   which   you 
will  lose,  and  the  heavy  and  eternal  woes,  which  you  mast  en- 
dure, if  you  continue   impenitent.     O  think  of  the  obligations 
which  you  violate  ;  of  the  goodness  and  mercy  which  you  con- 
temn ;  of  the  wrong  which  you  do  to  your  Maker,  to  your  Re- 
deemer, to  your  fellow  men,  and  to  your  own  souls.     Think  of 
the  baseness,  the  malignity,  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin,  until  j 
your  heads  become  waters,  and  your  eyes  tountains  of  tears  ;  un- 
til your  hearts  are  melted  to  penitence,   and   bi'oken  into  contri-   ' 
tion  ;  until,  humbled  at  the  feet  of  sovereign  mercy,  you  receive 
the  forgiveness  of  sin,  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to   renew  \ 
you  unto  righteousness  and  true   holiness  ;    that,  being   washed,    \ 
and  sanctified,  and  justified,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
by  the  Spirit  of  our  God,  you  may  hereafter  walk  in  newness  of 
life  and  new  obedience,  and  at  last  be  admitted  to  the  mansions 
of  everlasting  purity  and  blessedness. 


SERMON  V, 


PROGRESS   IN   SIN. 


»©« 


2  Kings  viii.  13. 
But  what !    is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he  should  do  this  great  thing  ? 

XT  is  generally  admitted,  that  a  true  knowledge  of  God  is  to 
be  obtained  only  from  the  scriptures.  It  is  no  less  true,  that 
the  scriptures  afford  the  best  means  for  a  correct  and  deep 
knowledge  of  mankind.  When  we  look  into  the  world,  and 
when  we  look  into  books,  we  see  the  actions  of  men  in  false 
lights,  and  under  delusive  colourings  and  disguises.  Not  so, 
when  we  look  into  the  scriptures.  There,  truth  speaks  an  un- 
corrupted  language ;  and  there,  every  thing  is  shewn  in  an  un- 
deceptive  light.  Every  disguise  is  stripped  off,  the  heart  is  laid 
open,  and  human  nature  is  displayed  in  its  real  character. 
Those,  therefore,  who  would  know  what  man  is,  as  well  as  what 
God  is,  should  give  their  days  and  nights  to  the  Bible. 

What !  is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he  should  do  this  great 
thing  ?  These  were  the  words  of  Hazael,  a  Syrian,  on  a  memo- 
rable occasion.  In  the  time  of  a  distressing  famine  in  Israel, 
Elisha  the  prophet  went  to  Damascus,  in  Syria.  Benhadad 
the  king  of  Syria  was  then  sick ;  and  it  was  told  him,  saying, 
The  man  of  God  is  come  hither.  Benhadad  had  known  much 
of  Elisha,  and  when  he  heard  that  the  prophet  was  at  Damascus, 
he  said  unto  Hazael,  Take  a  present  in  thine  hand,  and  go,  meet 


SERMON  V.  ^§5 

the  man  of  God,  and  inquire  of  Jehovah,  hy  him,  saying,  Shall  I 
recover  of  this  disease  ?  So  Hazael  went  to  meet  him,  and  took  a 
present  ivith  him,  even  of  every  good  thing  of  Damascus,  forty 
camels  burden,  and  came  and  stood  before  him,  and  said.  Thy 
son  Benhadad,  king  of  Syria,  hath  sent  me  to  thee,  saying,  Shall 
I  recover  of  this  disease  ?  And  Elisha  said  unto  him,  go,  say 
unto  him,  Thou  mayest  certainly  recover ;  howbeit,  the  Lord 
hath  shewed  me  that  he  shall  surely  die.  There  was  nothing  hi 
Benhadad's  disease  to  prevent  his  recovery  ;  therefore,  Ehsha 
said  that  he  might  recover.  At  the  same  time,  however,  it  was 
revealed  to  the  prophet,  that  the  king  would  die,  not  by  his  dis- 
ease, but  by  other  means.  Having  given  the  message  to  be 
carried  to  the  king,  EUsha  settled  his  countenance  steadfastly 
upon  Hazael,  until  Hazael  was  ashamed ;  and  the  man  of  God 
wept.  And  Hazael  said.  Why  weepeth  my  Lord  ?  And  he  an- 
swered. Because  I  know  the  evil  that  thou  wilt  do  unto  the  child- 
ren of  Israel ;  their  strong  holds  wilt  thou  set  on  fire,  and  their 
young  men  wilt  thou  slay  with  the  sword,  and  loilt  dash  their 
(ihildren,  and  rip  up  their  women  with  child.  And  Hazael  said, 
But  what!  is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he  should  do  this  great 
thing  ?  And  Elisha  answered.  The  Lord  hath  shewed  me  that 
thou  shalt  be  king  over  Syria. 

At  the  representation  of  the  cruelties  which  he  was  to  com- 
mit, Hazael  was  shocked.  He  did  not  imagine  that  it  was  in  his 
heart  to  perpetrate  such  enormities.  The  event,  however,  veri- 
fied the  prediction.  The  very  next  day  after  this  interview  with 
the  prophet,  Hazael  suffocated  his  master  Benhadad,  by  laying 
a  wet  cloth  upon  his  face,  and  immediately  seated  himself  upon 
the  throne.  And  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  afterwards,  in  his 
wars  with  Israel,  he  actually  perpetrated  all  the  enormous  cruel- 
ties, which  the  prophet  had  foretold. 

The  text  affords  us  this  monitory  instruction ;  viz.    Men  are 

NOT   AWARE    TO    WHAT    A    PITCH    OF    AVICKEDNESS    THEIR    EVIL, 
HEARTS    MAY    CARRY    THEM. 

Hazael,  unquestionably,  was  not  a  singular  instance.     Proba- 
bly there  is  not,  in  this  depraved  world,   an  abandoned  sinner, 
who  would  not,  at  some  former  period  of  his  life,  have  trembled 
9 


60  SERMON    V. 

at  the  thought  of  such  crimes  as  he  has  since  committed.  Sin 
is  of  an  insinuating  and  delusive  nature.  It  leads  men  on,  in- 
sensibly, from  one  degree  of  wickedness  to  another,  and  carries 
them  to  excesses,  of  which  once  they  would  have  thought  them- 
selves utterly  incapable.  This  has  been  noticed  by  moral 
writers,  in  every  age  and  country.  The  way  of  vice,  it  was 
anciently  and  aptly  said,  lies  down  hill.  If  you  take  bat  a  few- 
steps,  the  motion  is  soon  accelerated,  and  becomes  almost  irre- 
sistibly violent  and  impetuous. 

For  the  more  particular  illustration  of  the  general  sentiment 
now  presented,  it  may  be  useful  to  trace,  somewhat  distinctly, 
a  natural  and  very  common  progress  of  sin. 

I.  Sinners  begin  in  a  course  of  wickedness  witli  comparative- 
ly small  sins. 

Though  in  strictness  no  sin  can  be  called  small,  as  rebellion 
against  God  is  in  the  very  nature  of  all  sin  ;  yet  there  are  some 
sins  vastly  more  atrocious  than  others.  These  are  too  alarming 
to  the  sinner,  in  the  beginning  of  his  career  ;  and  he  sets  out  in  a 
smaller  way.  It  is  thus,  perhaps  invariably,  in  regard  to  every 
sinful  course.  It  may  not  be  too  minute  for  this  subject  to  say, 
that  many  have  begun  to  steal  with  taking  small  things  from  the 
house,  without  the  knowledge  of  their  parents,  thinking  that  in 
this,  surely,  there  could  be  but  little  wickedness.  Then  they 
have  pilfered  small  things  from  others,  plundering  fruit  yards, 
perhaps,  and  taking  away  articles,  which  they  supposed  could 
be  of  no  great  consequence  to  the  owners.  And  from  that  they 
have  proceeded  to  thefts  of  greater  magnitude,  until  they  have 
ended  their  race  upon  the  gallows,  or  upon  the  scaffold.  Others 
have  begun  with  little  equivocations  and  collusions,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  greater  violations  of  the  truth,  till  they  have  arrived  at 
the  most  audacious  boldness  in  falsehood,  and  even  in  perjury. 
Some  have  begun  with  levity  of  carriage,  vanity  of  dress,  or  in- 
decency of  speech,  and  ended  in  the  excess  of  debauchery  and 
prostitution.  Others,  from  small  indulgences  of  appetite,  have 
increased  in  intemperance,  until  they  have  ruined  their  health 
and  their  faculties,  their  fortunes  and  tlieir  characters,  their  fami- 
lies for  this  world,  and  their  souls  for  eternity. 


SERMON   V.  67 

lAIy  brethren,  though  we  aie  all  born  In  sin,  and  powerfully 
inclined  to  evil,  from  our  first  entrance  into  the  world ;  yet  God 
has  given  us  a  witness  for  himself  in  our  own  consciences.  De- 
praved as  we  naturally  are,  there  is,  nevertheless,  at  first,  a  re- 
luctance, an  inward  misgiving  and  compunction,  at  the  commis- 
sion of  sin.  "  No  one,"  said  an  ancient  heathen,  "No  one  be- 
comes all  at  once  excessively  wicked.  It  usually  takes  some 
time,  and  is  attained  by  degrees  ;  though  some,  to  be  sure,  very 
early  shew  an  astonishing  proficiency  in  wickedness,  and  make 
astonishing  advances."  Smaller  sins,  then,  are  tlie  introduction 
and  preparation  for  greater.     Hence, 

II.  Having  familiarized  himself  to  these  smaller  sins,  the 
dinner  easily  advances  to  a  liigher  degree  of  wickedness. 

His  courage  grows  with  his  experience  ;  and  he  gives  him- 
self more  liberty  to  walk  in  the  w^ays  of  his  own  heart,  and  in  the 
sight  of  his  own  eyes.     Sins  of  a  deeper  die  cease  to  startle  or 
to  shock  him.     Th€  reason  is  obvious  ;  or  rather  should  I  say, 
many  reasons   concur  to  produce  this   effect.     Custom  makes 
every   thing   familiar,    even   to    contempt  of  the    authority  of 
God,   and  of  every  sacred  obligation.     By  custom,  the  sinner 
lays  waste  liis  conscience,  and  prostitutes  his  mind  ;    and  then, 
at  every  step,   proceeds  in  his  course  with  less  resistance,  and 
with  increased  force  of  depraved  inclinations.     It  has  been  well 
observed,  that  "  no   sin  comes  by  itself  alone  ;  but  every  sin 
stands  in  close  connection  witli  many  others."     Some  sins  lead 
directly  to  otliers,   and  afford,   at  once,   an  opportunity  and  a 
temptation  to  commit  them.     Some  draw  others   after  them,  as 
excuses  or  means  of  concealment ;  and  every  sin  renders  the 
commission  of  others  more  easy.     No  person,  therefore,  who 
once  breaks  ov^-  the  limits  of  clear  and   unquestionable  duty, 
knows  how  far  he   sliall  be  carried,  before  he  turns  back  ;  or 
whether,  indeed,  be  may  not  be  so  deeply  involved  as  never  to 
return.     This  leads  me  to  observe, 

III.  That  open  sins  soon  throw  a  person  into  the  society  oi 
the  openly  ungodly  and  vicious. 

This  is  a  natural  and  necessary  consequence  ;  for,  by  open 
sins  he  declares  his  character,  and  shews,  at  once,  to  what  class, 


6&  SERMON  V. 

and  to  what  company,  he  belongs.  No  sooner,  indeed,  do  men 
begin  to  take  hberties  in  their  conduct,  than  tliey  begin  to  shun 
the  society  of  the  conscientious  and  the  good.  The  presence 
of  such  persons  is  a  restraint  upon  them,  and  their  example  re- 
proaches them,  and  gives  them  uneasiness.  But,  in  society  like 
themselves,  they  are  kept  in  countenance,  and  feel  themselves 
sup}x)rted  and  cheered  in  their  course.  Behold  the  sinner,  then, 
with  his  corrupt  inclinations,  in  the  midst  of  his  corrupt  compan- 
ions !  As  sure  as  evil  communications  corrupt  good  manners, 
they  make  bad  manners  worse.  As  united  fires  burn  the  fiercer 
and  the  stronger  ;  so  a  sinful  society  increases  in  ungodliness, 
by  mutually  quickening  and  fomenting  the  sinful  passions  and 
propensities  one  of  anotlier.  Surely,  if  those  who  are  otherwise 
virtuous,  r^re  often  in  danger  of  being  led  away  with  the  error  of 
the  wicked ;  when  a  vicious  person  joins  himself  to  vicious  com- 
panions, it  is  not  easy  to  say  with  what  dreadful  celerity  he  may 
be  carried  away,  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  his  iniquities,  for  final 
destruction. 

IV.  The  sinner  next  comes  to  feel  the  force  of  habit,  and  of 
inveterate  custom. 

The  frequent  repetition  of  acts  of  wickedness  forms  a  habit ; 
and  how  powerful  this  is,  and  how  difficult  to  overcome,  experi- 
ence every  day  testifies.  The  scriptures,  also,  give  solemn 
warnings  of  the  danger  of  habitual  wickedness.  If  thou  hast 
run  ivith  the  footmen,  and  they  have  wearied  thee,  then  how  canst 
thou  contend  with  horses  9  And  if  in  the  land  of  peace,  wherein 
thou  trustedst,  they  wearied  thee,  then  how  wilt  thou  do  in  the  swell- 
ing of  Jordan  ?  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leop- 
ard his  spots  ?  Then  may  ye  also  do  good,  that  are  accustomed 
to  do  evil.  Nature  itself,  in  this,  as  in  many  other  instances,  is 
full  of  moral  and  spiritual  instruction.  Habits  of  any  indifferent 
kind,  when  once  estabhshed,  can  hardly  be  overcome,  even  by 
the  greatest  effort  of  resolution  ;  even,  for  instance,  any  motion 
of  the  body,  or  any  particular  word  or  phrase  in  discourse,  which 
has  become  habitual,  is  not  easily  laid  aside.  But  it  deserves  to 
be  particularly  considered,  that  habits  of  sin  are  not  only  infinite- 
ly more  hurtful,  than  habits  of  an  indifferent  kind,  but  they  are. 


SERMON  V.  (J9 

also,  vastly  more  obstinate.  Falling  in  with  the  bent  and  dispo- 
sition of  depraved  nature,  they  are  like  a  threefold  cord,  not 
easily  broken.  When  persons  have  long  been  habituated  to  idle- 
ness, what  a  hopeless  thing  it  is  to  attempt  to  bring  them  to  in- 
dustry. When  they  have  long  been  habituated  to  intemperance, 
or  to  sensuality  of  any  kind,  not  only  are  they  inclined  to  it ; 
but  they  are  impelled  to  it,  by  the  irresistible  calls  of  appetites, 
which  they  are  no  longer  able  to  control.  All  who  observe 
them  are  so  sensible  of  it,  that  they  consider  it  almost  as  much 
in  vain  to  speak  to  them,  as  to  speak  to  the  wind  or  to  the  stornir 
Nay,  we  may  often  perceive  the  poor  unhappy  wretches  them- 
selves, sensible  in  some  measure  of  their  dreadful  captivity, 
though  unable  to  break  the  chains  that  bind  them  over  to  des- 
truction. 

V.  The  next  stage  in  the  sinner's  course  is,  to  lose  the  sense 
of  shame,  and  sin  openly  with  unblushing  impudence. 

Sin  is,  in  itself,  a  disgraceful  thing;  and  hence,  most  com- 
monly shuns  the  light.  But  when  once  a  sinner  has  attained  ts 
a  certain  degree,  he  throws  off  every  mask,  and  sins  in  the  faco 
of  the  sun.  He  no  longer  seeks  the  concealment  of  darkness, 
but  walks  forth  as  the  destruction  that  ivasteth  at  noon-day. 
Neither  the  eyes  nor  the  tongues  of  men  put  any  restraint  upon 
him  ;  but,  since  the  strength  of  inclination  and  habit  is  such,  that 
he  must  indulge  himself,  he  takes  courage,  and  refuses  to  be 
restrained.  The  prophet  Jeremiah  pointedly  noticed  this  stage 
of  degeneracy,  in  the  abandoned  sinners  of  his  day.  Were  they 
ashamed,  says  he,  when  they  had  committed  abomination  ?  Aoy, 
they  were  not  at  all  ashamed,  neither  could  they  blush  ;  therefore 
shall  they  fall  among  them  that  fall ;  at  the  time  that  I  visit  them^ 
they  shall  be  cast  down,  saith  the  Lord.  Unquestionably  this  is 
a  sure  and  affecting  evidence  of  a  most  dreadful  advance  in 
wickedness.  So  long  as  the  sense  of  shame  remains,  it  is  a 
check  upon  the  wicked,  in  their  licentious  practices ;  but,  when 
this  ceases  to  be  felt,  left  without  curb  or  restraint,  they  draw  in- 
iquity  with  cords  of  vanity,  and  sin,  as  it  were  ivith  a  cart  rope. 
And  that  sinners  are  naturally  carried  forward  to  this  bold  and 
Kharaeless  impiety,  is  evident  from  the  very  nature  nf  the  tiling. 


70  SERMON    V. 

Repealed  acts  of  sin  which  must  be  knovvii,  oirend  natural 
modesty  so  frequently,  and  accustom  a  man  so  often  and  so 
much  to  shame,  that,  in  time,  he  loses  the  sense  of  it  altogether. 
Nay,  as  the  sense  of  shame  is  troublesome  to  him,  he  will  even 
make  an  effort  entirely  to  overcome  it.  Examples  of  this  kind 
-abound  in  this  sinful  world. 

VI.  Having  advanced  so  far  as  to  sin  without  a  sense  of 
shame,  it  is  but  a  short  step  further  to  sin  without  remorse  of 
conscience. 

For  a  time,  the  conscience  of  a  sinner  will  not  cease  to  bear 
testimony  against  him  ;  and  every  outward  indulgence  costs  him 
some  inward  uneasiness  :  but  after  he  has  given  himself  over  to 
abandoned  wickedness,  the  voice  of  conscience  is  at  length 
silenced.  This  awful  victory  is  gained  in  one  of  two  ways. 
The  easiest  and  speediest  way  is,  by  hearkening  to  loose  princi- 
ples. These,  at  once,  set  the  mind  at  ease,  and  blunt  the  re- 
proofs of  conscience  ;  and  to  these  refuges  of  lies  multitudes 
resort.  The  other  way  is  practical ;  more  slow  indeed,  but  not, 
perhaps,  less  fatally  sure.  By  the  frequent  repetition  of  crimes, 
conscience  is  stupified.  In  this  way  it  is  wearied  out,  as  it  were, 
and  driven  to  despair,  by  the  habitual  sinner.  It  is,  indeed, 
much  the  same  with  this  monitor  in  the  breast,  as  with  a  friend 
vrho  has  a  concern  for  another  :  If  he  find  that  instruction,  ad- 
monition, warning,  and  entreaty,  are  all  in  vain,  he  at  length 
ceases  his  efforts,  and  leaves  the  irreclaimable  offender  to  his 
course.  But,  alas  !  my  brethren,  what  must  be  the  condition  of 
the  person,  who  has  thus  overcome  and  silenced  his  conscience.'* 
He  is  kept  within  no  bounds ;  but  triumphs  in  his  dreadful  con- 
quest. The  Apostle  to  Timothy  tells  us  of  some,  who  will  speak 
lies  in  hypocrisy,  having  their  consciences  seared  as  with  an 
hot  iron.  And  to  the  Ephesians  he  describes  an  abandoned 
class  of  sinners,  as  being  past  feeling,  having  given  themselves 
over  to  lasciviousness,  to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness. 
Possibly,  indeed,  some  may  consider  it  a  desirable  thing  to  be 
thus  freed  from  the  reproofs  and  compunctions  of  conscience. 
But  let  it  be  solemnly  considered,  that  what  the  sinner  gains  by 
this,  is  only  to  be  further  from  tlie  way  of  recovery,  and  nearer 


SERMON   V.  71 

10  irremediable  destruction.  What  avails  it  that  he  has  render- 
ed himseU'  insensible  to  his  danger  ?  Will  this  at  all  screen  him 
from  punishment,  or  make  it  lighter  when  it  shall  fall  ?  Certainly 
not.  There  is  something,  on  the  contrary,  inost  terrible,  in  the 
condition  of  that  man,  who  is  insensible  of  the  doom  that  awail? 
him,  and  is  never  to  awake  from  his  fatal  lethargy,  till  he  shall 
lift  up  his  eyes  in  torments,  never  to  have  an  end.  But,  before 
this  he  has,  probably,  some  further  steps  to  go  ;  and,  having 
finished  his  character,  he  now  hastens  to  finish  his  work. 
Hence,  • 

VII.  The  advanced  sinner  next  comes  to  boast  and  glory  iji 
his  wickedness. 

It  is  much,  indeed,  to  get  beyond  shame  ;  it  is  more,  still,*  to 
glory  in  wickedness,  and  esteem  it  honourable.  How  affecting 
are  the  words  of  the  apostle  to  the  Philippians.  Many  ivalk. 
dfwhom  I  have  told  you  often.,  and  now  tell  you,  even  weeping, 
that  they  are  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ ;  whose  end  is 
destruction,  whose  god  is  their  belly,  and  whose  glory  is  in  their 
shame.  Alas  !  how  many  there  are  in  the  world,  who  have  even 
studied  to  excel  in  different  courses  of  vice  and  wickedness,  and 
who  are  ready  to  declare  their  sin  as  Sodom,  and  praise  them- 
selves for  their  exploits  against  religion  and  virtue,  and  all  the 
laws  of  morality  and  decency  !  For  them  there  remains  but  one 
step  more  ;  and  that  is, 

VIII.  Not  content  with  being  abandoned  themselves,  they 
proceed  to  exert  their  endeavours  to  make  others  equally  aban- 
doned. They  become  zealous  in  sinning,  and  eager  in  promot- 
ing the  infernal  cause.  How  often  do  you  see  those,  who  have 
no  fear  of  God  before  their  own  eyes,  exerting  themselves  to 
extinguish  it  also  in  others ;  to  banter  down  the  qualms  of  their 
consciences,  and  to  break  their  reluctances  at  running  to  the  same 
excess  of  riot  with  themselves.  They  will  almost  compass  sea 
and  land  to  make  one  proselyte  ;  and  when  he  is  made  they  would 
make  him,  if  possible,  twofold  more  the  child  of  hell  than  them- 
selves. To  what,  my  brethren,  are  we  to  attribute  this  direful 
zeal.''  Does  the  abandoned  sinner  imagine  that  he  has  made  u 
wise  choice,  and  out  of  benevolence  to  others  wish  to  make  thenj. 


72  SERMON   V". 

partners  in  his  joy  t  No  ;  for  luhile  lie  promises  them  liberty^  he 
himself  is  ^^^^  ser-vani  of  corruption  ;  and  is  like  the  troubled  sea, 
7vhcn  it  cannot  rest,  ichose  waters  cast  up  mire  and  dirt.  The 
truth  rather  is,  that,  as  he  resembles  his  father  the  devil  in  many 
other  respects,  so  he  resembles  him  also  in  envy  and  mahgnity, 
going  about  like  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour. 
Beginning,  already,  to  feel  something  of  the  misery  of  a  repro- 
bate state,  he  wishes  to  bring  as  many  as  possible  into  the  sarao 
wretclied  condition.  In  the  last  stages  of  this  dreadful  career, 
the  sinner  is  given  up  of  God  to  hardness  of  heart,  and  judicial 
blindness,  to  fill  up  his  measure  as  a  vessel  of  wrath  fitted  to  de- 
struction, and  is  prepared  for  the  utmost  excesses  of  ungodliness. 

REFLECTIONS. 

1.  How  dreadful  is  the  depravity  and  corruption  of  our 
fallen  nature. 

It  is  the  declaration  of  inspired  truth.  The  heart  is  deceitful 
above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked ;  who  can  know  it  ? 
Hazael,  unquestionably,  was  a  stranger  to  his  own  heart.  At 
the  time  the  prophet  addressed  him,  he  had  no  apprehension 
that  he  could  ever  commit  the  atrocities,  which  afterwards  h? 
did  commit.  But  he  advanced,  step  by  step,  till  those  cruelties 
lost  their  enormity  in  his  sight,  and  he  could  commit  them  with- 
out remorse.  In  like  manner,  thousands  and  thousands  have 
advanced  from  one  degree  of  degeneracy  to  another,  until  acts 
of  impiety  and  wickedness,  at  which  they  would  once  have 
shuddered,  become  famihar  to  them,  and  are  indulged  in  as 
mere  sport  or  pastime.  But  why  is  it  thus  ^  It  is  because  the 
heart  is  deceitful  and  desperately  wicked.  It  is  by  the  depraved 
propensities,  and  deceitful  workings  of  the  heart,  that  men  are 
thus  carried  forward  from  stage  to  stage,  in  the  downward  course 
of  sin.  Were  it  not  for  these,  in  vain  would  sin  present  its 
thousand  enticements,  and  in  vain  would  Satan,  and  his  emissa- 
ries, press  their  thousand  solicitations.  In  the  awful  course, 
which  has  been  described,  we  may  justly  view  the  progressive 
developement  of  the  depraved  heart,  gradually  freed  from  re- 
straints, and,  strengthening  in  its  corrupt  inclinations.     And  wha 


SERMON   V.  rs 

of  us,  my  brethren,  can  say  to  what  lengths  our  native  corrup- 
tions would  carry  us,  if  all  restraints  were  removed  from  them, 
and  they  were  allowed  their  full  scope  ?  Who  of  us  can  endure 
to  contemplate  the  hideous  developement  of  our  depraved  na- 
ture, which  will  be  made  in  the  regions  of  tinal  despair?  What 
enmity,  what  impotent  rage  against  heaven !  What  malignity, 
what  madness  towards  one  another  !  When  men  are  told  of  their 
depravity,  they  are  often  as  much  startled,  and  as  hard  to  be- 
lieve, as  was  the  Syrian,  in  the  instance  before  us.  But  be  as- 
sured, O  sinner,  if  you  do  not  repent,  and  embrace  the  mercy  of 
the  Saviour,  tlie  time  will  come,  when  you  will  believe  that,  had 
you  power,  you  would  utterly  demolish  the  throne  and  kingdom 
of  God. 

2.  Let  all  be  warned  of  the  danger  of  giving  indulgence 
to  sin. 

It  may  be  said  of  sin  in  general,  as  Solomon  says  of  strife, 
the.  beginning  of  it  is  like  the  letting  out  of  water.  INIankind  are 
but  too  apt  to  consider  particular  sins  as  small ;  and,  tlierefore, 
to  be  indulged  without  much  guilt,  and  without  danger.  How 
often  do  parents  wink  at  the  beginning  of  sin  in  their  children, 
till  what  they  were  ready  to  call  mere  levities  and  follies,  grow 
up  into  gross  crimes,  and  flagitious  enormities.  How  often  do 
men  allow  themselves  in  occasional  indulgences  in  profanity,  in- 
temperance, and  other  vices,  until  those  occasional  indulgences 
grow  into  inveterate  habits,  and  impel  to  the  utmost  excesses  of 
blasphemy,  of  drunkenness,  and  all  manner  of  ungodliness. 
Alas  !  how  short-sighted  are  mankind  !  So  far  from  looking  for- 
ward, as  they  ought,  to  another  world,  they  look  not  even  to  any 
distance  before  them  in  this.  But,  believe  me,  my  hearers, 
even  the  beginnings  of  sin  are  attended  with  infinite  danger  ; 
and,  when  you  allow  yourselves  in  them,  you  know  not  to  what 
lengths  you  may  proceed.  Fearful,  beyond  description,  is  the 
case  of  the  man,  who  has  long  been  accustomed  to  do  evil !  It  is 
not,  indeed,  for  us  to  set  bounds  to  the  almighty  power,  and 
sovereign  grace  of  God.  He  may,  and  in  some  instances  he 
does,  pluck  the  most  advanced  sinners  as  brands  out  of  the  fire. 

But  such  instances  are  uncomrsion  ;    and  whcievrr  on^.  occurs, 
10 


74  SERMON  V. 

it  is  a  miracle  of  miracles.  How  deeply,  then,  does  it  behoove 
all  men  to  take  heed  to  themselves,  and  how  deeply  does  it  be- 
hoove parents  to  be  watchful  of  their  dear  children,  in  regard 
even  to  the  beginnings  of  sinful  indulgence. 

Finally.  We  see  the  danger  of  delaying  repentance. 

So  long  as  repentance  is  delayed,  sin  is  indulged,  and  is  gain- 
ing strength.  Hence,  so  long  as  any  one  delays  repentance,  he 
cannot  promise  himself  that  he  will  not  become  an  open,  hard- 
ened, abandoned  sinner.  For,  the  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  desperately  wicked.  Therefore,  O  sinners,  as  you 
dread  to  be  numbered  with  the  most  flagitiously  wicked,  and  to 
be  subjected  to  the  same  fearful  doom,  be  entreated  to  repent, 
without  delay,  and  become  reconciled  to  God.  It  is  now  a  sea- 
son of  mercy,  and  a  day  of  salvation.  God  is  waiting  to  be  gra- 
cious ;  but  he  will  not  always  wait.  Beware,  then,  lest  he  be 
provoked  to  pronounce  your  doom,  in  those  fearful  words,  They 
have  chosen  their  own  ways,  and  their  soul  delighteth  in  their 
abominations.  I,  also,  will  choose  their  delusions,  and  will  bring 
their  fears  upon  them  ;  because  when  I  called  none  did  ansiver  ; 
when  I  spake,  they  did  not  hear  ;  but  they  did  evil  before  mine 
eyes,  and  chose  that  in  which  I  delighted  not. 


SERMON  \I. 

«gd's  thoughts  and  ways  higher  than  oues. 


Isaiah  lv.  8,  9. 

For  my  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  neither  are  your  ways  my  ways,, 
saith  the  Lord:  For  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are 
my  ways  higher  than  your  ways,  and  my  thoughts  than  your  thoughts. 

W  HO  by  searching  can  find  out  God  9  Who  can  find  out  the 
Almighty  unto  perfection  9  If  we  make  the  attempt,  we  are  lost, 
at  once,  in  the  immensity  of  his  being,  in  the  infinity  of  his  per- 
fections, in  the  grandeurs  and  splendours  of  his  character  and 
works.  Always,  and  in  regard  to  all  things,  his  thoughts  and 
ways  are  higher  than  ours,  as  the  heavens  are  highej-  than  the 
earth. 

In  our  text,  however,  there  is  especial  reference  to  his 
thoughts  and  ways,  his  purposes  and  dispensations,  towards  man- 
kind, as  sinful  beings.  This  is  evident  fi'ora  the  connection. 
Seek  ye  the  Lord,  while  he  may  be  found;  call  ye  upon  him, 
ivhile  he  is  near.  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  un- 
righteous man  his  thoughts  ;  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord, 
and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him  ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will 
abundantly  pardon.  It  is  here,  and  directly  for  the  purpose  of 
enforcing  this  gracious  call  to  repentance,  that  the  words  of  the 
text  are  employed.  For  my  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts  ; 
neither  are  your  ivays  my  ways,  saith  the  Lord.     For  as  the 


TO  SERMON   VI. 

heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  my  ways  higher  thau 
your  icays,  and  my  thoughts  than  your  thoughts.  TJie  interest- 
ing sentiment  here  offered  to  our  attention  is  plainly  this  : — 

God's  thoughts  and  ways,  in  iiegabd  to  sinful  men, 
immeasurably  transcend  their  own,  and  all  that  of 
THEMSELVES  THEY  COULD  CONCEIVE. — This  doctrine,  my 
brethren,  is  worthy  of  particular  consideration, 

I.  As  to  our  destination,  or  the  end  of  our  being. 

Men  think  and  act  as  if  they  were  destined  to  nothing  be- 
yond this  terrestrial  Hfe.  If  some  times,  indeed,  they  wake  for 
a  moment,  and  bethink  themselves  of  another  world ;  yet  how 
little  do  they  dwell,  in  contemplation,  or  desire,  upon  that  future 
and  invisible  scene  .'*  How  httle  does  it  influence  their  purposes 
or  feehngs  f — Look  at  the  great  majority.  Is  it  not  manifest 
that  their  thoughts  and  ways  are  little,  very  little,  if  at  all,  differ- 
ent from  what  they  would  be,  had  they  nothing  in  prospect  be- 
yond this  present  life  ?  They  Hve  for  this  world  ;  their  plans  and 
pursuits  all  have  respect  to  their  earthly  state  ;  their  desires  and 
views  are  limited  to  sublunary  objects  and  scenes. 

In  this  respect,  also,  they  seem  to  imagine  that  God  is  al- 
together such  an  one  as  themselves  ; — tliat,  in  his  purposes  and 
dispensations  towards  them,  he  has  respect  only,  or  principally, 
to  their  condition  here  ;  and  that  his  plans  and  views,  like  theirs, 
are  hmited  to  this  world. 

But  how  vastly  different  is  the  truth.  Whatsoever  God 
doth,  it  shall  he  forever.  In  his  sovereign  wisdom,  he  has  des- 
tined mankind  to  another  and  an  endless  state  of  existence  ;  and 
to  his  mind,  that  future,  and  eternal,  and  to  us  invisible  state,  is 
always  and  most  substantially  present.  His  thoughts,  indeed, 
extend  to  the  minutest  concerns  of  our  temporal  life,  and  the 
very  hairs  of  our  heads  are  all  numbered  ;  yet  this  life  is  regarded 
by  him,  only  as  a  transitory  scene  of  probation,  and  discipHne, 
and  preparation  for  another ;  and  in  the  endless  multiplicity  of 
his  thoughts,  and  cares,  and  allotments  for  us,  he  has  a  view, 
chiefly,  not  to  our  temporal  condition,  but  to  our  eternal  desti- 
jiation. 


SERMON  VI.  ^  77 

II.  As  to  our  relations  and  connections,  the  truili  of  our  doc- 
trine is  equally  clear,  and  worthy  oi' serious  attention. 

Men  think  much  of  themselves ;  and  their  cares  and  labours 
are  only,  or  chiefly,  for  their  own  private  or  particular  objects. 
Individuals,  indeed,  have  their  little  circles  around  them ; — their 
famiUes — their  near  connections  and  friends — their  associates  in 
their  respective  designs  and  pursuits.  These  are  parts  of  them- 
selves ;  and  these  divide  and  engross  their  affections,  and  their 
cares.  All  that  they  think,  and  all  that  they  do,  has  reference 
chiefly  to  themselves,  individually,  or  to  the  little  circles,  which 
constitute  and  limit  their  social  being,  interest,  and  happiness. 

Higher  than  these  are  God's  thoughts  and  ways,  as  the 
heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth.  To  his  mind,  all  worlds  and 
beings  are  present,  with  all  their  interests,  connections,  and  de- 
pendences. In  his  view,  mankind,  individually,  are  constituent 
parts,  not  merely  of  their  respective  families,  and  little  circles  of 
alliance,  friendship,  and  association ;  but  also  of  that  immense 
universe  of  beings,  which  his  power  has  created,  which  his 
goodness  sustains,  and  which  his  wisdom  governs.  Each  indi- 
vidual— man,  woman,  child — is  by  him  regarded  as  connected, 
for  eternity,  with  the  beings  of  other  worlds, — even  whh  the 
highest  orders  of  created  intelligences  ;  and,  in  all  his  thoughts 
and  ways  towards  mankind,  in  their  various  conditions,  he  has 
respect,  not  to  them  individually,  and  their  im.mediate  circles, 
only,  but  also  to  the  great  system,  of  which,  severally,  they  are 
minute  constituent  parts ;  to  its  endless  combinations,  and  its 
everlasting  interests. — The  doctrine  is  also  worthy  of  our  serious 
consideration, 

III.  As  to  the  good  proposed  and  to  be  sought. 

There  be  many  who  say,  Who  will  shew  vs  any  good  9  Yet 
what  are  their  conceptions  of  good  ? — what  their  desires  ? — how^ 
limited,  and  how  low  !  Scarcely  extending  their  views  beyond 
the  present  life,  the  good  which  they  seek  is  terrestrial.  Earth- 
ly riches,  honours,  and  pleasures,  are  the  objects  of  their  desire 
and  pursuits  ;  and  for  these  their  thoughts  and  ways  are  em- 
ployed. Were  the  great  majority  of  mankind,  from  the  lowest 
10  the  highest,  actually  to  obtain  all  that  they  labour  for — all  that 


7ti  SERMON  VI. 

they  seek  after — all  that  they  really  desire — they  would  still  be 
poor,  and  wretched,  and  miserable — slill  be  objects  over  whom 
the  heavens  might  weep.  Hence  the  moving  expostulation  in 
our  context :  Wherefore  do  ye  spend  money  for  that  which  is  not 
bread,  and  your  labour  for  that  which  satisfieth  not  ?  Hearken 
diligently  unto  me,  and  eat  ye  that  which  is  good,  and  let  your 
soul  delight  itself  in  fatness. 

If  men,  unrenewed  by  divine  grace,  sometimes  think  of 
another  world,  and  hope  for  happiness  beyond  the  grave  ;  still, 
are  not  their  conceptions  earthly,  and  tlieir  desires  groveling  ? 
Our  own  pagan  ancestors  expected,  as  their  supreme  felicity 
after  death,  to  drink  wine,  with  perpetual  festivity  out  of  the  skulls 
of  their  enemies.  If  the  conceptions  and  expectations  of  future 
jiappiness,  entertained  by  the  Hindoos,  the  Chinese,  and  otlier 
Pagans  of  our  own  times,  are  of  a  character  less  savage,  they 
are  not  however  more  exalted,  or  more  pure.  Even  the  Ma- 
hometan Paradise  is  to  consist  in  mere  sensual  delights.  Li 
lands  illumined  by  the  gospel,  different  notions  of  immortality 
are  doubtless  entertained ;  yet  even  here,  do  not  unrenewed  men 
form  their  conceptions  and  desires  of  happiness  in  the  world  to 
come,  according  to  the  objects,  in  which  they  delight,  and  for 
which  they  seek  in  the  present  life.^  Of  the  happiness  of  holy 
beings  dwelling  in  the  light  of  God,  enjoying  the  open  vision  of 
his  glory,  and  serving  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple,  they  have 
no  idea,  and  for  it  no  desire.  The  good  which  God  hath  pre- 
pared for  them  that  love  him  is  higher  than  their  most  raised 
conceptions,  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth. 

To  us,  my  friends,  to  the  sinful  children  of  Adam,  He  who 
inhabiteth  eternity  has  proposed  what  none  but  a  being  of  infinite 
goodness  could  have  proposed ; — riches,  honours,  felicities,  as 
pure,  exalted,  and  durable,  as  the  heaven  of  heavens.  Incline 
your  ear,  he  says,  and  come  unto  me  ;  hear,  arid  your  souls  shall 
live  ;  and  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  you.  I  mil 
be  a  Father  unto  you  ;  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters. 
From  the  corruption  and  debasement  of  our  fallen  state,  he 
would  raise  us  up  to  more  than  primeval  purity  and  dignity. 
From  our  native   Avretched  condition,  as  aliens  from  him  our 


SERMON  VL  79 

Maker,  and  wanderers  from  the  presence  of  his  love,  he  would 
restore  us  to  his  paternal  favour — would  reinstate  us  in  his  fami- 
Jy,  with  all  the  ineffable  privileges  of  his  children — would  bring 
us  into  possession  of  the  immortal  felicities  of  celestial  beings,  of 
the  imperishable  treasures  of  his  kingdom  of  gloiy,  of  the  illimi- 
table fulness  of  his  own  wisdom  and  knowledge,  and  goodnes? 
and  blessedness. 

IV.  God's  thoughts  and  ways  towards  siniul  mankind  im- 
measurably transcend  their  own,  and  all  that  of  themselves  they 
could  conceive,  as  to  tlie  expedients  and  means  to  be  employed 
for  their  benefit. 

Look,  my  brethren,  at  the  manger  of  Bethlehem. — Could 
you  have  imagined  that  He  who  in  the  heginning  xvas  with  God, 
and  ivas  God,  and  by  whom  the  worlds  w"ere  made,  should  so 
humble  himself — thus  become  the  Son  of  man,  that  you  might 
become  the  sons  of  God  !  Had  you  been  present,  and  witnessed 
the  scene  of  poverty,  upon  which  the  pride  of  this  world  would 
scarcely  deign  to  cast  a  look,  would  you  not  have  been  amazed 
to  hear  it  celebrated  with  the  celestial   anthem,   glory  to  god 

IN  THE  HIGHEST  ;     ON    EARTH    PEACE  :     GOOD    WILL    TOWARDS 

MEN  ! — Look  at  the  cross  of  Calvary. — You  do  not  wonder  that 
the  heavens  should  be  covered  with  blackness — that  the  earth 
should  quake  to  its  centre — that  all  nature  should  be  struck  with 
dismay.  But  you  are  astonished,  and  you  can  never  cease  to 
be  astonished,  that  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory  should  thus  suffer — 
thus  expire  in  agonies — ^that  you,  and  others  of  our  guilty  race, 
might  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life.  Never  could  you  have 
conceived,  that  the  sinful  children  of  Adam  might  be  redeemed 
and  cleansed,  by  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God. — Look  at  the 
spot  where  the  disciples  of  the  risen  Jesus  were  assembled  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost;  remark  the  sound  as  of  a  rushijig  mighty 
ivind  ;  hear  the  illiterate  and  despised  Galileans  proclaiming,  in 
the  languages  of  many  nations,  the  wonderful  toorks  of-  God. 
Behold  three  thousand  of  the  promiscuous  multitude  pricked  in 
their  hearts  ;  bowing  at  the  name  of  that  same  Jesus,  whom  they 
had  crucified  and  slain  ;  filled  with  ])eace  and  joy  through  faith 
io  his  blood  ;  and  turning  from  the  course  of  this  world  into  the 


so  SERMON   VI. 

way  of  righteousness  and  true  holiness,  as  the  devoted  seivants 
of  God.  This  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our 
eyes.  Never  could  it  have  entered  your  hearts,  that  the  Holy 
Sph'it  should  thus  descend  to  dwell  with  men,  to  subdue  them 
to  the  obedience  of  Christ,  and  to  seal  them  for  his  kingdom  of 
glory. — From  the  heights  of  Jerusalem,  look  abroad  extensively 
upon  the  surrounding  scene.  Behold  those  same  despised  and 
persecuted  Galileans,  going  forth  into  all  the  world,  testifying, 
every  where,  repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  in  the  Lord 
JesUs  Christ.  The  darkness  which,  for  ages,  had  covered  die 
earth,  vanishes  before  them.  The  gods  of  the  Gentiles  are  cast 
down  ;  their  oracles  ai'e  silenced  ;  their  temples  are  deserted. 
Every  where  men  are  turned  from  their  vanities  unto  the  Hving 
God — are  cleansed  from  their  pollutions,  and  redeemed  from 
their  vain  conversation — and,  withdrawing  their  affections  and 
hopes  from  the  world,  are  led  to  seek  for  glory,  and  honour,  and 
immortality. 

It  was  thus,  after  that  in  the  wisdom  of  God  the  world  hy 
wisdom  Icnew  not  God,  it  pleased  God  hy  the  foolishness  of 
preaching  to  save  them  that  believe.  What  sages  and  philoso- 
phers, and  the  mighty  and  noble  of  the  world  could  never  effect, 
has  been  achieved  by  instruments  and  means,  which  they  have 
regarded  with  contempt ! 

It  is  by  the  same  expedients  and  methods,  which  were  thus 
strikingly  exhibited  before  the  universe,  that  God  still  performs 
his  purposes  of  mercy  towards  individuals,  and  families,  and 
nations.  It  is  only  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  they  have 
redemption  ;  it  is  only  by  the  doctrine  of  his  cross,  that  they  are 
brought  to  a  true  knowledge  of  themselves  and  of  God  ;  it  is 
only  by  the  almighty  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  they  ai"e  re- 
newed unto  holiness,  and  fitted  for  immortal  glory. 

In  all  this,  God's  thoughts  and  ways  are  higher  than  ours, 
as  the, heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth.  So  immeasurably,  in- 
deed, do  they  transcend  all  human  conceptions,  that  the  human 
understanding  's  confounded  by  them,  the  pride  of  the  human 
heart  is  offended,  and  the  utmost  efforts  of  human  ingenuity 
have  been   employed   to   explode  them   as  utterly   incredible. 


SERMON   VI.  81 

In  all  ages,  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  which  is  the  -power  of  God 
unto  salvation,  has  been  to  the  Jews  a  stumhling-hlock,  and  to 
the  Greeks  foolishness ;  and,  even  to  believers,  it  opens  with 
overpowering  wonders,  and  will  be  a  theme  of  adoring  and  ever 
fresh  admiration  and  praise  for  eternity.  During  millions  after 
millions  of  ages,  they  \\'\\\  contemplate  the  wisdom  and  goodness 
of  God,  manifested,  not  only  in  the  general  expedients  and 
methods  of  his  redeeming  grace,  but  also  in  the  particular,  and 
scarcely  less  marv^ellous,  ways  and  means,  by  which  they  them- 
selves were  severally  called,  and  trained  up  for  his  kingdom  and 
glory,  with  perpetually  increasing  wonder,  and  gratitude,  and 
delight. 

Of  the  many  important  reflections  suggested  by  the  subject, 
I  will  detain  you  only  for  two  or  three. 

I.  It  behooves  us  to  learn  to  think  very  humbly  of  ourselves. 

Vain  man  would  he  loise  ;  though  man  be  born  like  a  wild 
ass\s  colt.  The  wisdom  of  the  world,  the  pride  of  understand- 
ing, of  learning,  of  philosophy,  exalteth  itself  against  the  knowl- 
edge of  God.  But  what  is  man,  that  he  should  be  wise ! — a 
child  of  the  dust — a  creature  of  yesterday — a  fallen  creature, 
whose  limited  faculties  are  debased  and  perverted  ;  who  has 
eyes  but  sees  not,  and  ears  but  hears  not ;  whose  understanding 
is  darkened,  because  of  the  blindness  of  the  heart. 

Such  is  the  representation  of  scripture ;  and  of  the  truth  of 
it  no  one  can  doubt,  who  is  not  in  darkness  even  imtil  now.  The 
divine  oracle  makes  no  exception,  in  favour  of  the  learned,  and 
the  wise,  and  the  noble  among  men.  It  is,  on  the  contrary,  to 
this  class,  most  especially  and  directly,  that  its  strong  declara- 
tions refer.  It  is  the  wisdom  of  the  wise,  and  the  understanding 
of  the  PRUDENT,  that  God  will  bring  to  nought.  It  is  concerning 
men  of  this  description,  precisely,  that  the  Spirit  of  truth  says, 
When  they  knew  God,  they  glorified  him  not  as  God,  neither 
ivere  thankful;  but  became  vain  in  their  imaginations,  and  their 
foolish  heart  was  darkened.  Professing  themselves  to  be  wise, 
they  became  fools ;  and  changed  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible 
God  into  an  image  made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and  to  birds, 
<ind  fourfooted  beasts,  and  creepim^  things. — If  the  light  that  is 
11 


82  SERMON  VI. 

in  you  he  darkness,  says  the  divine  teacher,  how  great  is  that 
darkness!  It  is  by  men  who,  leaning  to  their  own  understanding, 
have  fancied  themselves,  and  been  regarded  by  others,  as  the 
lights  of  their  respective  generations,  that  the  darkness  of  the 
world  has  been  thickened  to  the  most  direful  blackness,  and  the 
millions  have  been  bewildered  with  ever  varying  delusions,  lost 
in  endless  mazes,  and  merged  in  the  deepest  corruptions. 

It  is,  my  brethren,  of  immense  practical  importance,  that  we 
be  thoroughly  convinced  of  the  moral  obliquity  of  the  human 
mind — of  the  vanity  and  delusiveness  of  human  wisdom — of  the 
ignorance  and  blindness  of  ourselves,  and  of  others  of  our  fallen 
race,  in  things  pertaining  to  God  and  to  eternity,  until  effectually 
illuminated  by  the  quickening  and  purifying  light  of  heaven. 
We  cannot  too  deeply  feel  the  weight  of  the  admonition.  If  any 
man  among  you  seemeth  to  be  wise  ;  let  him  become  a  fool  that  he 
may  be  wise.  We  cannot  be  too  profoundly  sensible,  that  we 
really  know  nothing,  and  can  know  nothing  truly,  of  spiritual 
and  eternal  things,  further  than  we  are  enlightened  by  the  word 
and  Spirit  of  God.  We  should  become,  in  this  respect,  as  little 
children.  Repressing  our  pride  and  our  vanity,  divesting  our- 
selves of  our  prejudices  and  fond  conceits,  and  humbly  sitting  at 
the  feet  of  our  divine  teacher  ;  05  new  born  babes,  we  should 
desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  we  may  grow  thereby, 
until  we  be  filed  ivith  the  knowledge  of  his  ivill,  in  all  xoisdom 
and  spiritual  understanding. 

2.  It  most  deeply  concerns  us  to  have  our  thoughts  and  ways 
conformed  to  God's. 

Meditating  much,  and  with  intense  earnestness,  on  the  end 
for  which  he  made  us,  we  should  emerge  from  earthly  scenes, 
and  learn  to  think,  to  feel,  and  to  act  for  eternity ;  as  creatures 
in  the  childhood  of  an  immortal  existence,  and  holding  a  con- 
nection with  other  worlds,  and  other  orders  of  beings.  Consid- 
ering that  on  earth  ive  have  no  continuing  city,  and  no  enduring 
treasure, — that  the  fashion  of  this  world  is  passing  away,  and  we 
are  hasting  to  the  scenes  of  eternity  ; — we  should  feel,  and  live, 
and  converse,  as  strangers  and  pilgrims  here,  looking  for  a  coun- 
try, even  an  heavenly,  and  earnestly  seeking  for  glory,  and  honour. 


SERMON   Vi.  83 

and  immortality. — Sensible  of  the  darkness,  and  corruption,  and 
guilt,  and  wretchedness  of  our  fallen  state  ;  convinced  of  our 
absolute  need  of  all  that  is  offered  to  us  in  the  gospel ;  and 
melted  in  heart  by  the  unbounded  grace  which  made  the  won- 
derful provision  ;  our  trust,  for  justification  and  peace  with  God, 
should  be  solely  in  the  one  Mediator,  whom  God  hath  set  forth 
as  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood;  and  our  reliance 
for  renewal  unto  holiness,  and  meetness  for  the  mansions  of  light 
and  of  glory,  on  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  given  to  the  heirs  of 
salvation,  and  all-sufficient  for  their  restoration  to  the  image  of 
God,  and  the  everlasting  fruitions  of  his  presence  and  kingdom. 
Happy,  thrice  happy,  my  friends,  if  thus,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
we  feel  and  live  ;  and  thus,  in  conformity  to  his,  our  thoughts 
and  ways  be  ordered. 

3.  We  see  the  ground  on  which  only  we  may  hope  for  our- 
selves, for  our  connections,  for  the  church,  and  for  the  world. 

Looking  away  from  God,  all  is  darkness  and  despondency. 
If  we  look  upon  ourselves,  what  depravity,  what  guilt,  what  help- 
lessness do  we  see  ;  what  strength  of  earthly  affections,  what 
groveling  propensities,  what  cleaving  to  the  dust,  what  number- 
less offences  against  heaven,  what  strange  insensibility  to  the 
affecting  calls  and  claims  of  infinite  mercy  !  If  we  look  upon  our 
connections,  and  friends,  and  neighbours,  and  the  thousands  of 
various  classes  around  us ;  what  selfishness,  and  worldliness,  and 
forgetfulness  of  God  ;  what  disregard  to  his  law  and  contempt 
of  his  grace  ;  what  hardness  of  heart,  and  blindness  of  mind,  and 
deathlike  stupefaction,  vfith  respect  to  sin,  to  salvation,  to  the 
approaching  judgment,  and  to  the  reahties  of  eternity,  present 
themselves  to  our  view  !  If  we  raise  our  eyes  and  look  abroad, 
we  see  here  and  there  in  the  distance  some  opening  scenes  of 
brightness,  and  of  cheering  contemplation.  Yet,  for  the  most 
part,  darkness  still  covers  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the  peo- 
ple ;  and  the  world  still  lieth  in  wickedness,  and  in  wretchedness. 
O,  my  brethren,  if  we  had  none  but  a  human  arm,  or  human 
help,  or  human  goodness,  or  counsel,  or  might,  on  which  to  rely, 
what  could  be  expected,  but  that  all  vvoald  go  down  to  porriitiov. 
together ! 


84  SERMON    VI. 

Bat  blessed  forever  be  His  name,  who  dwells  in  the  high  and 
holy  place,  his  thoughts  arc  not  as  our  thoughts  ;  nor  his  ways 
as  our  ways.  From  his  throne  of  everlasting  mercy,  light  beams 
on  the  dark  scene  around  us,  and  brightens  the  prospect  before 
us.  We,  and  our  connections  and  friends,  even  though  now 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  may  yet  be  raised  to  spiritual  life — 
be  justified  and  sanctified, — and  be  made  active  and  blessed  in 
the  service  and  kingdom  of  God.  The  dismal  and  widely  ex- 
tended valley  of  dry  bones  around  us,  may  yet  be  a  scene  where 
the  life-giving  Spirit  of  Jehovah  will  display  his  mighty  power 
and  grace,  and  raise  up  an  exceeding  great  army,  washed  from 
pollution,  and  beautified  with  salvation,  for  the  honour  and  glory 
of  his  adorable  name.  The  darkness  which  broods,  and  has  for 
ages  brooded,  upon  the  world,  may  yet  be  dispelled  ;  the  do- 
minion of  wickedness  and  delusion  may  be  abolished  ;  and  the 
heavenly  work,  already  commenced,  though  small  in  its  begin- 
nings, may  increase  and  spread,  till  the  nations  shall  be  turned 
from  their  vanities  unto  the  living  God,  and  the  earth  filled  with 
millennial  light,  and  holiness,  and  joy,  and  praise. 

But,  my  friends,  if  we  would  secure  the  blessings  of  this 
great  salvation  for  ourselves,  and  be  instrumental  in  communi- 
cating them  to  others ;  if  we  would  enjoy  the  peace  of  God,  walk 
in  his  light,  be  ivorkers  together  with  him,  see  the  good  of  his 
chosen,  rejoice  in  the  gladness  of  his  nation,  and  glory  with  his 
inheritance  ;  we  must  awake  to  righteousness,  and  sin  no  more. 
Christians  must  awake ;  or  they  will  scarcely  be  saved  them- 
selves, and  will  do  less  for  the  salvation  than  for  the  destruction 
of  others.  Those  who  are  still  alienated  from  the  life  of  God 
must  awake — must  awake  soon — or  they  will  only  wake  to  see 
the  door  of  mercy  shut,  and  themselves  in  outer  darkness,  with- 
out hope. 

It  was  expressly  for  the  purpose  of  enforcing  the  call  to  re- 
pentance, that  the  words  of  our  text  were  uttered.  Again,  then, 
let  the  voice  of  Jehovah  be  heard,  and  so  heard  as  never  to  be 
forgotten  :  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  he  found ;  call  ye 
upon  him  while  he  is  near.  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and 
the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts  ;    mid  let  him  return  unto  the  > 


SERMON   \I.  So 

Lord,  and  JieivUl  have  mercy  upon  him  ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he 
ivill  abundantly  pardon.  For  my  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts, 
neither  are  your  ways  my  ivnys,  saith  the  Lord.  For  as  the 
heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  my  ways  higher  than 
your  tvays,  and  my  thoughts  than  ycvr  thoughts. — Amen. 


SERMON   VIL 


ACCESS  TO   GOD. 


►  ®9 


Hebrews  x.  19 — 22. 


Having,  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the 
blood  oj"  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  way,  which  he  hath  consecrated, 
for  lis,  through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh  ;  and  having  an 
High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God  ;  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true 
heart,  in  full  assurance  nf faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from 
an  evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies  washed  with  pure  water. 


.AN,  in  his  primeval  state,  was  blessed  with  free  access  to 
God,  and  intimate  communion  with  him.  But  he  transgressed, 
lost  his  purity,  forfeited  every  privilege,  and  was  driven  from 
Paradise,  from  God,  and  from  hap])iness.  By  sin,  all  the  child- 
ren of  Adam  have  been  separated  from  God,  excluded  from  his 
favour,  and  exposed  to  his  everlasting  displeasure.  God,  how- 
ever, in  his  infinite  mercy,  has  found  a  ransom  for  them,  has 
opened  a  way  for  their  return  to  him,  and  proclaimed  peace  on 
earth  and  good  7vill  towards  men.  This  is  the  message  of  the 
gospel ;  the  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  unto  all 
people.  The  import  of  this  joyous  and  glorious  message,  the 
Apostle  opens  at  large,  in  the  former  pai'ts  of  this  epistle  ;  and 
then,  beginning  with  the  words  of  our  text,  he  applies  his  doc- 
trinal instructions,  in  the  way  of  most  earnest  exhortation  to  an 
acceptance  of  the  offered  grace  ;  and  most  solemn  warning,  not 


SERMON   VII.  87 

to  refuse  this  ^reat  salvation.  Having  then,  brethren,  holJness 
to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living 
way,  which  he  hath  consecrated  for  us,  through  the  vail,  that  is  to 
say,  his  flesh  ;  and  having  an  High  Priest  over  the  house  of 
God;  let  us  draio  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of 
faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  our 
bodies  washed  with  pure  ivater. — By  this  divine  exhortation  we 
are  naturally  led  to  consider, 

I.  The  prescribed  and  consecrated  way  of  our  access  to 
God. 

II.  The  encouragement,  held  out,  to  induce  us  to  draw  near 
to  him  in  this  way.     And, 

III.  The  manner  in  which  we  should  approach  unto  him. 
We  are  to  consider, 

I.  The  prescribed  and  consecrated  way  of  our  access  to 
God. 

Having  then  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  ivay,  which  he  hath  consecrated  for  us, 
through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say.  Ids  flesh.  On  the  day  of  the  fall, 
the  original  way  of  man's  access  to  God  was  closed,  and  guarded 
by  cherubim  and  a  flaming  sword.  Immediately,  however,  a 
dispensation  of  grace  was  introduced  ;  propitiatory  sacrifices 
were  instituted;  Cain  and  Abel  brought  their  respective  offer- 
ings unto  the  Lord  ;  and  unto  Abel  and  to  his  offering  the  Lord 
had  respect.  In  this  way  of  sacrifice,  typical  of  the  great  pro- 
pitiation, which  in  the  fulness  of  the  time  was  to  be  made  by  the 
promised  seed,  the  children  of  Adam,  for  successive  genera- 
tions, were  permitted  to  approach  unto  God  ;  and  all  who,  like 
Abel,  approached  with  true  humility  and  faith,  were  graciously- 
accepted. 

At  length,  divine  wisdom  saw  fit  to  appoint  an  economy  of 
greater  formality,  and  more  awful  solemnity.  The  law  was  pro- 
mulgated with  terrible  majesty,  a  mysterious  tabernacle  was 
made,  a  special  priesthood  was  ordained,  and  many  ordinances 
of  divine  service  were  instituted.  The  tabernacle,  besides  its 
courts,  consisted  of  the  holy  place,  and  the  most  holy.  The 
holy  place  wa,s  separated  from  thf  court,  in  which  stood  the  altar 


»6  SERMON   VII. 

of  burnt  offering,  by  a  vail ;  and  troni  the  holy  place,  the  most 
holy  was  separated  by  a  second  vail.  Iii  the  most  holy  place, 
called  also  the  holy  of  holies,  Jehovah  dwelt  in  a  visible  symbol 
ol"  his  glory,  between  the  cherubim,  on  the  mercy  seat.  JVow 
when  these  things  were  thus  ordained,  says  the  apostle,  the  priests 
went  at  all  times  into  the  Jirst  tabernacle,  or  the  holy  place,  ac- 
complishing the  service  of  God.  But  into  the  second,  or  the 
most  holy  place,  went  the  high  priest  alone,  once  every  year,  not 
without  blood,  which  he  offered  for  himself,  and  for  the  errours  of 
the  people.  By  this  an-angement,  as  the  apostle  says,  the  Holy 
Ghost,  by  whom  it  was  appointed,  signified,  that  the  way  into 
the  holiest  of  all  was  not  yet  made  manifest.  The  people  were 
allowed  to  enter  only  into  the  courts  of  the  tabernacle  ;  and  were, 
therefore,  shut  out  from  the  most  holy  place,  where  Jehovah,  in 
a  special  manner,  resided,  by  both  the  first  and  second  vail. 
Even  the  ordinary  priests  were  permitted  to  advance  no  further, 
than  into  the  holy  place ;  and  were,  therefore,  shut  out  from  the 
most  holy  place,  by  the  second  vail.  Within  the  second  vail, 
into  the  most  holy  place,  the  high  priest  alone  was  allowed  to 
enter,  and  that  only  once  a  year,  on  the  great  day  of  atonement, 
and  even  then  not  without  sacrificial,  propitiatory  blood.  Had 
any  of  the  people,  or  of  the  ordinary  priests,  attempted  to  enter 
that  place  of  the  divine  glory,  or  even  to  draw  aside  the  vail  and 
look  within,  instant  death  would  have  been  the  penalty  ;  and 
the  same  must  have  been  suffered  by  the  high  priest  himself, 
had  he  ventured  to  enter  on  any  other  than  the  appointed  day, 
or  in  any  other  than  the  prescribed  manner. 

These  solemn  appointments  were  all  of  them  typically  sig- 
nificant ;  and  served  to  shew  that,  by  sin,  mankind  were  placed 
in  a  state  of  fearful  exclusion  from  the  presence  of  God.  The 
holy  of  holies,  particularly,  was  an  emblem  of  the  heaven  of 
heavens,  where  Jehovah  dwells  in  his  highest  glory  ;  and  its  vail 
was  a  symbol  of  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  or  of  that  body  in 
which,  as  God  with  us,  he  tabernacled  among  men. 

Accordingly,  at  the  moment  that  Christ's  body  expired  upon 
the  cross,  the  vail  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain  from  the  top)  to 
the  bottom.     It  was  at  the  lime  of  the  evening  sacrifice  ;  and  the 


SERMON  VII.  89 

worshippers  then  assembled  at  the  temple  must  have  been  struck 
with  amazement,  to  behold  the  most  sacred  recess,  the  holy  of 
holies,  with  all  its  awful  emblems,  laid  open  to  their  view. 
What  was  the  meaning  of  this  stupendous  event?  It  was  this  ; 
that  as,  by  the  rending  of  the  vail,  the  holy  of  holies  was  opened 
to  the  view  of  all  the  people ;  so,  by  the  rending  of  Christ's 
body,  the  heaven  of  heavens  is  opened  to  all  nations  ;  and  as  the 
people  might  have  entered  through  the  rent  vail  into  the  most 
holy  place,  and  approached  even  to  the  mercy  seat ;  so,  through 
the  rent  body  of  Christ,  all  who  will  come  unto  God  by  him, 
may  enter  into  the  highest  heavens,  and  approach  near  to  the 
throne  of  celestial  glory. 

The  darkness  is  past,  and  the  true  light  now  shineth.  The 
obscurities  of  the  typical  and  shadowy  dispensation  are  removed; 
and  the  way  into  the  holiest  of  all  is  now  made  manifest.  It  was 
opened  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  by  the  rending  of  his  body  upon 
the  cross ;  and  it  is  only  by  his  blood,  which  was  shed  for  many 
for  the  remission  of  sins  ;  only  through  his  body,  which  wa^ 
wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  our  iniquities, 
that  we  can  have  access  to  God. 

This  the  apostle  calls  a  new  and  living  way.  It  is  neio,  in 
distinction  from  the  original  way  by  the  first  covenant  in  Para- 
dise ;  it  is  new,  in  regard  to  its  openness  and  clearness,  in  dis- 
tinction from  that  of  the  sacrifices  of  the  typical  economy  ;  and 
it  is  new,  as  it  never  waxes  old,  but  always  remains  the  same. 
And  it  is  a  living  way,  as,  instead  of  incurring  the  penalty  of 
death,  as  the  people  anciently  would  by  attempting  to  enter  into 
the  most  holy  place,  all  who  come  to  God  in  it,  will  assuredly 
obtain  everlasting  life  ;  and  as  the  blood  of  Christ  is  of  ever  liv- 
ing, ever  abiding  efficacy,  and  his  body,  once  dead,  now  lives  in 
glory,  a  sure  pledge  of  eternal  life  to  all  that  beUeve  on  him. 
This  new  and  living  way,  he  hath  consecrated  ;  has,  in  the 
most  solemn  and  publick  manner,  authorized  and  set  apart,  as 
the  only  way  given  under  heaven  among  men,  for  approach  unto 
God,  for  the  pai-don  of  sin,  for  salvation  with  eternal  glory.  It 
is  the  way  of  holiness,  and  the  wayfaring  man,  though  a  fool. 
shall  not  err  therein.  Let  us  now. 
12 


90  SERMON  VII. 

II.  Consider  the  encouragement  held  out,  to  mduce  us  tiff 
draw  near  to  God  in  this  way. 

The  entire  view  which  we  have  taken  of  the  wny  is  full  of 
encouragement.  We  see  here  no  fiery  cherubim,  no  flaming 
sword,  to  strike  us  with  dread,  or  deter  our  approach.  We  see 
no  impassable  barrier  around  the  base  of  the  mountain ;  no 
blackness,  or  darkness,  or  tempest,  on  its  awful  summit.  We 
see  no  vail,  which  shuts  us  out ;  and  which  we  are  forbidden  to 
pass,  or  to  draw  aside,  on  pain  of  death.  But  we  see  a  way 
cast  up,  an  high  way  to  the  mercy  seat  of  heaven,  to  God,  and 
to  glory ;  a  way,  open,  and  free,  and  illumined  with  celestial 
light.  It  was  opened,  too,  by  infinite  mercy,  and  at  infinite  ex- 
pense. '  It  was  opened  by  the  death  of  him,  who  was  in  the  bo- 
som of  the  Father  before  the  worlds  were  made;  and  it  was 
consecrated  by  him,  for  the  express  purpose  of  bringing  many 
sons  and  daughters  unto  glory. 

Under  this  head,  however,  it  is  further  and  more  especially 
to  be  considered,  that  we  have  an  High  Priest,  in  the  original  a 
GREAT  Priest,  over  the  house  of  God.  In  preceding  chapters, 
the  apostle  shews  at  large  that,  by  the  oath  of  God,  Jesus  Christ 
has  been  constituted  an  High  Priest  forever  after  the  order  of 
Melchizedeck ;  that  the  Levitical  priesthood  and  sacrifices  were 
typical  of  his  everlasting  priesthood,  and  his  one  sufficient  sacri- 
fice; that  through  the  Eternal  Spirit  he  offered  himself  without 
spot  to  God,  and  not  loith  the  blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but  by 
his  own  blood,  entered  in  once  into  the  holy  place,  having  obtain- 
ed eternal  redemption  for  us  ;  and  that  there,  at  the  right  hand 
of  the  Father,  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us.  It  is 
upon  this  broad  ground  that  the  exhortafion  in  the  text  is  found- 
ed :  Having,  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest 
by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  ivay,  which  he  hath 
consecrated  for  us,  through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh  ;  and 
having  a  Great  Priest  over  the  house  of  God  ;  let  us  draw  near. 
On  the  great  day  of  atonement,  under  the  Levitical  economy, 
in  vain  was  the  sacrifice  killed,  unless  the  blood  was  carried 
within  the  vail ;  and  in  vain  was  it  carried  thither,  if  it  was  not 
sprinkled   before   the  mercy  seat,    and  accompanied  with  the 


SERMON  VII.  91 

clouds  of  incense.  Jesus,  having  made  himself  an  offeiino;  and 
sacrifice  for  us,  has  gone  within  the  vail,  has  entered  into  the 
most  holy  place  in  heaven,  and  there  sprinkled  his  blood  before 
the  mercy  seat  of  glory.  There,  also,  he  abideth  an  High 
Priest  forever,  presiding  over  the  house  of  God  ;  over  the  reh- 
gious  services  of  his  people  ;  and  accompanying  them  with  the 
acceptable  incense  of  his  own  continual  and  prevalent  inter- 
cession. 

What  greater  encouragement,  then,  could  be  offered,  to  in- 
duce us  to  approach  unto  God,  to  draw  near  to  him,  in  the  neiVy 
Mnd  living,  and  consecrated  way,  which  is  opened  to  us  ? 
Let  us,  tlien, 

III.  Consider  the  manner  in  which  we  should  approach  unto 
him,  in  this  way. 

It  may  here  be  premised  that,  as  it  is  in  his  own  appointed 
way,  so  it  is  also  by  his  own  appointed  means,  that  we  are  to 
draw  near  to  God  ;  by  means  of  his  word,  of  prayer  and  praise, 
of  covenant  vows,  and  of  the  holy  sacraments. — What,  then,  is 
the  manner,  in  which  we  should  approach  him,  in  this  way,  and 
by  these  means .'' 

The  apostle,  in  the  outset,  intimates  that  we  may  come  with 
boldness;  not,  indeed,  with  rashness  or  irreverence.  The  word 
which  he  uses  signifies /reefZowi  and  confidence;  and  in  it  he  has 
evident  allusion  to  the  case  of  the  people,  under  the  legal  dis- 
pensation, who  were  prohibited  from  entering  into  the  most  holy 
place,  and  were  impressed  with  a  dread  of  approaching  unto 
God.  We  are  not  prohibited  from  entering,  but  have  a  divine 
warrant  to  enter ;  and,  therefore,  should  draw  near  to  God,  not 
with  a  servile  and  depressing  dread,  but  with  humble,  reveren- 
tial, fihal  freedom  and  confidence. 

With  a  true  heart.  The  Lord  looketh  upon  the  heart,  and 
requireth  truth  in  the  inward  parts  ;  and  they  that  worship  him. 
must  worship  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  This  is  of  the  first  impor- 
tance ;  and  without  this  all  outward  approaches  and  services  are 
but  mockery.  If  our  confessions  are  without  repentance  and 
humility  ;  if  our  petitions  are  heartless,  and  our  thanksgivings 
witliout  gratitude  ;  if  our  solemn  vows  are  without  sincerity,  and 


92  SERMON  VII. 

our  attendance  on  sacred  ordinances  without  inward  devotion  ; 
we  do  but  lie  uiUo  God,  and  insult  his  holy  majesty.  If  we 
draw  nigh  to  him  with  our  lips,  while  our  hearts  are  far  from 
him,  we  worship  him  in  vain.  It  should  be  our  first  and  unre- 
mitting care,  that  uprightness  and  integrity  of  heart  preserve 
us  in  his  holy  sight. 

In  full  assurance  of  faith.  He  that  cometh  unto  God  must 
believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently 
seek  him.  We  must  believe  in  God  ;  in  his  infinite  perfections  j 
in  what  he  has  revealed  to  us  of  his  truth  and  grace  ;  in  his 
readiness  graciously  to  receive  us  in  his  appointed  way,  and  to 
do  for  us  more  than  we  can  ask  or  think.  We  must  believe  in 
Christ ;  in  his  personal  dignity,  as  the  brightness  of  the  Father's 
glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person  ;  in  his  mediatorial 
offices,  as  our  prophet,  priest,  and  king  ;  in  the  reality  and  effi- 
cacy of  his  atonement,  and  his  intercession  ;  in  his  fulness  of 
grace,  and  ability  and  wiUingness  to  save  unto  the  uttermost, 
them  that  come  unto  God  by  him.  We  must  have,  in  fine,  a 
firm  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  of  the  infallible 
certainty  of  the  glorious  method  of  salvation  therein  set  forth. 
Though  we  may  doubt  of  our  present  personal  interest  in  this 
great  salvation ;  yet,  of  the  truth  and  sufficiency  of  the  salvation 
itself,  we  must  have  an  assured,  a  fully  assured  faith. 

Our  hearts  must  he  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience.  In 
this  figurative  expression,  allusion  is  had  to  the  appointed  sprink- 
lings under  the  law",  by  which  those  who  were  ceremonially  de- 
filed, were  fitted  to  come  into  the  congregation  of  the  Lord,  and 
attend  upon  his  holy  ordinances.  Those  ritual  sprinklings  were 
typical  of  the  cleansing  of  the  heart,  and  purging  of  the  con- 
science, by  the  application  of  the  blood  of  Christ.  Hence 
David,  under  a  deep  consciousness  of  guilt,  prayed.  Purge  me 
with  hyssop,  i.  e.  with  the  hyssop  branch  which  was  used  for 
sprinkling,  and  I  shall  be  clean  ;  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter 
than  snow.  And  the  apostle,  in  the  chapter  preceding  our  con- 
text, says.  If  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats,  and  the  ashes  of  an 
heifer  sprinkling  the  unclean,  sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the 
fiesh ;   how  much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Jesus   Christ,  who\ 


SERMON  VII.  93 

through  the  Eternal  Spirit,  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God^ 
purge  your  conscience  from  dead  works,  to  serve  the  living  God. 
Our  consciences,  my  brethren,  are  often  defiled,  deeply  defiled, 
hy  the  corruptions  of  our  hearts;  and  they  need  to  be  purged; 
they  must  be  purged,  by  the  atoning  and  cleansing  blood  of  our 
great  High  Priest,  or  we  cannot  draw  nigh  unto  God.  With  an 
evil  conscience,  a  conscience  defiled  and  loaded  with  guilt,  we 
can  neither  have  confidence  towards  him,  nor  be  accepted  in  his 
holy  sight. 

Not  only  must  our  hearts  be  sprinkled  from  an  evil  con- 
science; our  bodies  also  must  be  washed  with  pure  ivater.  Here, 
again,  is  allusion  to  the  ancient  ritual  purifications.  In  sundry 
cases,  the  washing  of  the  body  in  pure  water  was  prescribed  for 
such  as  were  ceremonially  defiled  ;  especially  was  it  prescribed 
for  the  priests,  before  their  going  within  the  vail,  to  denote  the 
purity  which  was  required  of  them.  The  people  of  God,  under 
the  gospel,  are  described  as  a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation. 
They  must  be,  pure  in  heart,  and  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversa- 
tion. The  Lord  Jesus  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem 
us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people, 
zealous  of  good  works — holy  and  without  blame  before  God  in 
love. 

Brethren,  the  apostolical  exhortation  now  addresses  itself  to 
you,  with  all  its  persuasive  power.  You  have  liberty,  you  have 
a  divine  warrant,  to  enter  into  the  holiest,  hy  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
The  vail  is  rent,  and  the  glory  of  God  upon  the  mercy  seat  is 
disclosed  to  your  view.  A  ncv/,  and  living,  and  consecrated 
way,  is  open  to  you.  You  have  a  great  and  merciful  High 
Priest,  who  has  gone  before,  to  prepare  for  your  gracious  recep- 
tion into  the  divine  presence,  and  there  to  present  you  faultless 
with  exceeding  joy.  How  is  it,  then,  vv^ith  jourselvcs.'*  Ai'e  you 
in  a  state  of  preparation  to  draw  nigh  ?  Have  you  a  true  heart.'' 
If  so,  then  may  you  have  confidence  towards  God.  If  not,  then 
repentance  towards  him  is  your  immediate  and  indispensable 
duty.  Have  you  an  assured  faith  in  the  mercy  and  faithfulness 
of  God,  and  in  the  sacrifice,  and  grace,  and  all-sufficiency  of 
Christ  ?  If  so,  then  you  have  strength  to  approach.     If  not,  then 


Ii4  SERMON  VIL 

fix  your  eyes  on  the  cross,  that  stupendous  monument  of  divine 
mercy  and  truth,  and  he  no  more  faithless,  hut  believing. — Is  your 
heart  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience  ?  If  so,  then  you  have 
peace  with  God,  and  may  draw  nigh,  and  sit  under  his  shadow 
with  dehght.  If  not,  then  apply  at  once  to  the  blood  of  sprink" 
ling,  which  speaketh  better  things  than  the  blood  of  Mel. — Are 
your  bodies  washed  with  pure  water'?  Have  you  cleansed  your^ 
selves  from  all  filtkincss  of  flesh  and  spirit'?  If  so,  then  are  you 
prepared,  according  to  the  purification  of  the  sanctuary,  and  may 
approach  with  holy  alacrity,  unmixed  with  confusion.  If  not, 
then  penitently,  and  without  delay,  repair  to  ihe  fountain  which 
is  opened  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness,  wash  and  be  clean. 

My  hearers,  this  subject  is  of  infinite  concernment  to  us  all. 
It  is  certainly  the  duty  of  every  person,  a  duty  of  the  very  high- 
est obligation,  to  approach  unto  God ;  yea,  to  draw  nigh  to  him 
jn  the  most  sacred  of  his  ordinances ;  and  nothing  can  excuse 
our  want  of  fitness  for  this  duty.  We  certainly  ought,  every  one 
of  us,  to  have  an  assured  faith  in  God,  in  Christ,  in  the  way 
which  is  opened  for  our  entrance  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of 
.Jesus.  We  certainly  ought,  every  one  of  us,  to  have  a  true 
heart  towards  God  ;  a  heart  purified  from  an  evil  conscience  ; 
and  we  ought  no  less  certainly  to  have  our  bodies  washed  with 
pure  water ;  to  put  away  all  our  evil  doings,  to  abstain  from 
every  thing  that  defileih,  to  be  pure  in  our  outward  deportment 
and  conversation.  To  be  thus  fitted  for  approaching  to  God,  and 
to  draw  nigh  to  him  in  his  consecrated  way,  is  a  duty  from  which 
no  person  can  be  excused.  It  is  not  our  duty  only ;  it  is  our 
highest  privilege  and  happiness.  If  we  are  true  and  faithful  in 
regard  to  the  duty,  we  shall  know  the  inestimable  value  of  the 
privilege,  and  the  exalted  nature  and  boundless  extent  of  the 
happiness.  But  if  we  neglect  the  duty,  and  despise  the  privi- 
lege, we  can  never  taste  the  happiness ;  but,  instead  of  entering 
\\\\o  fulness  of  joy  in  God's  presence,  and  pleasures  forevermore 
at  his  right  hand,  we  shall  ere  long  be  driven  far  from  hini, 
and  never  see  good. — Amen. 


SERMON  VIII. 


THE  GOOD   WAY. 


>(9« 


Jeremiah  vi.  16. 


Thus  saiih  the  Lord,  Stand  ye  in  the  xvays  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old 
paths,  where  u  the  good  way,  and  walk  therein,  and  ye  shall  Jind  rest 
for  your  souls. 

X  HIS  life,  my  brethren,  is  a  pilgrimage.  We  are  all  travel- 
lers ; — we  are  all  passing  on  to  the  abodes  of  eternity.  How- 
important,  then,  that  we  travel  in  the  way  of  everlasting  life ! 

It  was  the  lot  of  Jeremiali  to  fall  on  evil  times.  The  people 
of  his  nation  had  forsaken  the  God  of  their  fathers,  and  become 
ripe  for  signal  judgments.  All  classes,  from  the  highest  to  the 
lowest,  were  corrupt,  and  obstinately  bent  on  pursuing  their  own 
ways.  To  heighten  and  confirm  tlie  evil,  the  priests  anJ 
prophets,  who  ought  to  have  shewn  the  people  their  transgres- 
sions, and  warned  them  of  their  danger,  encouraged  and  deluded 
them  with  words  of  flattery  and  errour.  They  have  healed,  says 
this  faithful  prophet,  T%eij  have  healed  the  hurt  of  the  daughter 
of  my  people  slightly,  saying,  Peace,  peace ;  when  there  is  no 
peace.  And  he  adds,  Were  they  ashamed  when  they  had  com- 
mitted abomination  ?  in  thus  deceiving  the  people  ;  nay,  they 
were  not  at  all  ashamed  ;  neither  coidd  they  hlush.  After  warn- 
ing the  people  of  their  danger  from  their  false  guides,  he  solemn- 
ly delivers  to  them  this  memorable   and   wholesome  counsel  r 


96  SERMON    VIII. 

Thus  sailh  the  JLord,  Stand  yc  in  the  ivays  and  see,  and  ask  for 
the  old  paths,  ivhere  is  the  good  ivay,  and  walk  therein,  and  ye 
shall  jind  rest  for  your  souls.  Like  wayfaring  men,  in  doubt 
which  road  to  take,  they  would  do  well  to  stop,  and  make  dili- 
gent inquiry.  It  behooved  them  to  inquire  particularly  concern- 
ing the  old  paths  ;  that  they  might  ascertain  the  good  way,  in 
which  their  lathers,  in  better  times,  had  walked,  and  which  had 
been  proved  to  be  the  way  of  safety  and  peace. 

The  plain  instruction  of  the  text  is  this  :  By  suitable  atten- 
tion, and  particularly  by  careful  inquiry  respecting  the  old  paths, 
people  may  ascertain  the  good  way,  in  which  rest  for  the  soul  is 
infallibly  to  be  found.     And  my  present  design  is, 

I.  To  illustrate  the  truth  of  this  instruction  ; 

II.  To  shew  what  the  good  way  is ;  and 

III.  To  consider  the  rest  for  the  soul,  which  is  to  be  found 
in  this  way. 

How,  then,  does  it  appear  that,  by  suitable  attention,  and 
particularly  by  careful  inquiry  concerning  the  old  paths,  people 
may  ascertain  what  is  the  good  way? — It  may  appear  from  these 
plain  and  incontrovertible  truths :  That  the  good  way  has  always 
been  one  and  the  same;  that  this  way  has  been  most  perspicu- 
ously marked  and  distinguished  from  all  others;  and  that  the 
word  of  God  decisively  assures  us  that,  by  proper  care,  it  may 
be  ascertained. 

].  The  good  way  has  always  been  one  and  the  same. 

God  is  the  same  yesterday,  to  day,  and  forever.  The  princi- 
ples and  ends  of  his  government,  his  law  and  his  grace,  his  jus- 
tice and  his  mercy,  are  unchangeable.  Variable  as  the  world 
in  many  respects  is,  yet  mankind  are,  in  nature,  the  same 
throughout  all  generations;  their  relations  to  God  and  one  another 
the  same;  their  general  obligations  and  duties  the  same;  their 
interests  and  prospects  for  eternity  the  same.  The  nature  of 
mora:l  good  and  evil,  holiness  and  sin,  are  also  unalterable;  and 
their  respective  tendencies  and  consequences  can  be  neither 
more  nor  less  safe  or  unsafe  now,  than  they  were  in  ancient 
times. 


SERMON    VIII.  91 

These  positions  are  not  to  be  conti-overted ;  and  from  them 
it  clearly  results,  that  the  good  way  of  safety  and  of  rest,  always 
has  been,  and  always  must  be,  one  and  the  same.  This  way, 
then,  may  indubitably,  by  suitable  attention,  be  well  ascertained. 
But, 

2.  The  good  way  has  been  very  perspicuously  marked,  and 
distinguished  from  all  other  ways. 

For  what  purpose,  my  brethren,  has  God  condescended  to 
make  his  revelations  to  men.^  Is  it  not  that  the  right  and  good 
way  might  be  clearly  marked  out  to  them.''  By  sin,  mankind  are 
alienated  from  their  Maker,  bewildered  b  darkness,  and  inclined 
to  wander,  to  their  final  perdition.  But  God  has  beheld  them 
witli  compassion.  From  his  throne  of  glorious  mercy,  he  has 
stooped  to  point  out  to  them  the  way  in  which  they  should  go ; 
a  way  which  himself  has  been  pleased  to  open,  to  illuminate 
from  age  to  age  with  increasing  hght,  and  to  mark  with  direc- 
tions at  every  stage,  and  with  beacons  at  every  devious  path. 
It  was  for  this  purpose,  that  he  revealed  himself  to  the  pati'iarchs 
of  the  first  ages ;  it  was  for  this,  that  he  gave  his  statutes  and 
ordinances  from  Sinai;  it  was  for  this,  that  he  sent  his  Son  from 
heaven.     It  was  to  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace. 

Has  God,  then,  failed  in  his  design .''  The  thought  is  not  to 
be  indulged  for  a  moment.  No,  my  brethren;  but  the  good 
way  of  safety  has  been  made  plain.  By  the  directions,  instruc- 
tions, and  warnings,  which  God  has  given  us  in  his  word,  it  is 
pointed  out,  and  marked,  and  distinguished  from  every  other, 
with  the  utmost  clearness. 

It  is  true,  when  we  look  around  us,  and  survey  the  living 
world,  we  see  mankind  passing  and  repassing  in  all  directions; 
and  such  is  the  bustle  and  confusion,  and  so  much  are  we  our- 
selves perplexed  in  the  crowd,  that  we  seem  bewildered  in  the 
mazy  scene,  and  can  scarcely  tell  what  way  individuals  are  going, 
or  where  their  several  courses  will  end.  Not  so,  when  we  siand 
in  the  ways  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old  paths.  When,  in  the 
hght  of  sacred  scripture,  we  look  back  on  ancient  years,  we  may 
distinctly  trace  the  path,  in  which  the  people  of  God  have 
travelled;  and  guided  by  their  footstep?,  may  ascend  to  the  first. 

to 


9S  SERMON    Vllf. 

periods  of  time.  Thence,  looking  down  through  the  long  track 
of  ages,  we  may  see  a  way  cast  np;  a  high  way,  narrow  indeed, 
yet  straight,  and  illumined  through  its  whole  extent,  with  the 
clear  light  of  heaven.  On  both  sides  of  it,  multitudes  are  tra- 
versing in  various  directions,  and  wandering  without  light  or 
guide,  till,  in  succession,  they  are  seen  to  fall  into  the  open  pit, 
or  are  lost  from  our  sight  in  impervious  darkness.  But,  in  the 
straight  and  good  way,  the  pilgrims  are  seen  to  pass  on,  till  they 
successively  come  to  the  end  of  their  pilgrimage  in  peace,  and 
enter,  with  songs  of  tramiphant  praise,  the  portals  of  the  heaven- 
ly city.  Surely,  then,  they  who  will  stand  in  the  ways  and  see, 
and  ask  for  the  old  paths,  may  ascertain  the  good  way.  1  add, 
3.  This  truth  is  decisively  confirmed  by  express  declarations 
of  the  divine  word. 

My  son,  if  thou  idlt  receive  my  words,  and  hide  my  cojH" 
mandments  with  thee,  so  that  thou  incline  thine  ear  unto  wisdom, 
and  apply  thine  heart  to  understanding  ;  yea,  if  thou  criest  after 
knowledge,  and  liftest  up  thy  voice  for  understanding ;  if  thou 
seekest  her  as  silver,  and  searchest  for  her  as  for  hid  treasures  ; 

THEN  SHALT  THOU  UNDERSTAND  THE  FEAR  OF  THE  LORD,  AND 

FIND  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD.  Tliis  assuraucc  was  given  in 
the  days  of  Solomon ;  and  if,  even  then,  the  good  way  might, 
by  suitable  attention,  be  assuredly  ascertained  ;  how  much 
more,  since  the  subsequent  revelations  by  the  prophets,  and  es- 
pecially since  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  God  himself,  a  light  to 
guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace.  Agreeably  to  ancient 
prophecy,  indeed,  the  way  is  made  so  plain,  by  the  gospel  reve- 
lation, that  the  way-faring  man,  though  a  fool,  need  not  err  therein; 
and  every  one,  who  will  give  suitable  heed  to  the  instructions 
offered  him^  may  certainly  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  he  of 
God,  and  lead  to  eternal  life.     But  I  hasten, 

II.  To  shew  what  the  good  way  is. 

But,  can  any  of  you,  my  hearers,  be  in  any  uncertainty,  in 
regard  to  this  point  .^  Is  there  one,  who  does  not  know,  that  the 
good  way  is  that  of  repentance,  faith,  and  a  pious  observance  of 
the  statutes  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord  .'*    This,  unquestionably ^ 


•  SERMON   VIII.  99 

is  the  only  way,  in  which  rest  for  the  soul  ever  has  been,  or 
ever  can  be  found. 

Ever  since  the  fall  in  Paradise,  mankind  have  been  sinners. 
It  is  the  dictate  of  reason,  it  is  the  injunction  of  natural  religion, 
it  is  the  high  and  just  demand  of  heaven,  that  sinners  should  re- 
pent ;  that,  with   ti'ue  contrition  of  heai-t,  they  should  turn  from 
sin  unto  God.     Until  they  do  this,  they  can  never  find  peace. 
Nor  could  they  find  peace  even  by  repentance,  had  no  atone- 
ment been  made  for  them.     It  is  not  in  the  power  of  the  sinner 
to  expiate  his  own  guilt,   or  to  give   unto   God  a  ransom   for  his 
soul.     But  God  has  found  a  ransom.     He   has  given  his  own 
Son  to  die,  as  a  propitiation  for  sin ;    and  the  atonement  thus 
made,  with  the  whole  salvation  connected   with  it,   he  has  set 
before  us  in  the  gospel.     In  tliis  gospel  he  requires  us  to  believe. 
He  requires  us  to  receive  his  Son,  as  oiu-  Redeemer  and  Sav- 
iour ;  to  acknowledg>e  his  atoning  sacrifice  as  the  ground  of  our 
pardon ;    to  trust  in   his   righteousness  for  our  justification ;  to 
rely  on  his  promises  for  all  the  purposes  of  salvation ;  in  fine, 
cordially  to  embrace  his  doctrines,  his  whole  word,  as  everlast- 
ing truth.     This  is  the   faith  whicJi   God  requires  ;  and  it  is  a 
faith  which  works  hy  love,  and  purifies  the  heart,  and  thus  leads 
to  holy  obedience  ;  to  the  consideration  and  practice  of  whatso- 
ever things  are  true,  whatsoever  things  are  honest,  whatsoever 
things  are  just,  whatsoever  things  are  pure,  whatsoever  things  arc 
lovely,  ivhatsoever  things  are  of  good  report.     Before  men  return 
to  God,  they  wander  in  the  ways  of  transgression  ;    but,  when 
they  truly  repent  and  believe  the  gospel,  then  they  set  out  in  a 
new  course,  in  a  course  of  new  obedience,   a  pious  observance 
of  all  the  statutes  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord.     And  this  is  pre- 
cisely the  good  way,  in  which  they  find  rest  for  their  souls. 

My  brethren,  is  not  all  this  plain.''  Stand  in  the  icays  and 
see,  and  ask  concerning  the  old  paths.  Is  not  this  the  way  to 
which  the  whole  word  of  God  directs  you.''  Is  it  not  the  way  to 
which  mankind  were  pointed  by  the  first  revelations  from  heaven, 
by  all  the  rites  of  the  Mosaic  economy,  by  the  whole  succession 
of  inspired  prophets,  and  by  the  Son  of  God  himself,  and  his 
holy  apostles.''    And  is  it  not  the  way,  in  which  the  people  of 


100  SERMON  Vm. 

God,  from  Abel  down  through  all  generations,  liave  walked } 
and  which,  by  their  shining  examples,  they  have  marked  and 
made  plain,  for  all  who  would  follow  them  to  rest  and  to  glory  ? 
Let  us,  then, 

III.  Consider  the  rest  which  those  who  walk  in  this  good 
way  will  find. 

It  is  a  rest  from  perplexities  and  doubts,  respecting  the 
course  which  they  should  pursue  ;  a  rest  from  anxiety  and  dis- 
content, under  divine  providence ;  and  an  everlasting  rest  in 
heaven. 

It  is  a  rest  from  perplexities  and  doubts. — Careless  and 
thoughtless  as  mankind  are,  yet  a  general  conviction  prevails, 
that  they  are  sinners,  and  must,  in  some  way,  make  their  peace 
with  God,  or  be  finally  miserable.  Occasionally,  by  the  pres- 
sure of  affliction,  by  the  force  of  divine  truth,  or  by  the  power 
of  the  divine  Spirit,  this  conviction  is  so  urged  upon  their  con- 
sciences as  to  give  them  great  uneasiness.  In  this  state,  they 
naturally  look  around  for  rehef ;  and  they  may  try  to  find  peace 
in  some  of  the  many  delusions,  with  which  this  world  is  filled. 
This,  however,  is  a  vain  attempt.  Men  may,  indeed,  suppress 
conviction,  and  silence  conscience ;  and,  for  a  while,  repose 
themselves  on  delusive  hopes,  or  in  refuges  of  lies.  Yet,  from 
time  to  lime,  a  dreadful  sound  is  in  their  ears  ;  their  minds  will 
be  disquieted  with  apprehensions  of  that  day,  when  their  cove- 
nant with  death  shall  be  disanmdled,  and  their  agreement  with  hell 
shall  not  stand,  and  the  hail  shall  sweep  away  the  refuges  oflies^ 
and  the  waters  shall  overflow  the  hiding  places.  They  are  in 
doubt  and  perplexity  ;  they  are  restless  and  unhappy  ;  and  they 
seem  not  to  know  which  way  to  turn,  or  what  course  to  take. 
What,  then,  shall  they  do  ?  Shall  they  make  the  rash  effort,  but 
too  often  made,  to  quiet  themselves  in  the  persuasion,  that  one 
course  is  as  good  as  another,  and  that  all  their  uneasiness  is  un- 
necessary and  unreasonable."* 

Divine  wisdom,  my  hearers,  directs  to  a  more  excellent  way. 
If  you  are  perplexed  with  the  various  and  conflicting  opinions  of 
the  world  ;  then  turn  from  the  vain  imaginations  of  men  to  the 
sure  word  of  revealed  truth.     If  you  have  not  found  peace  in 


SERMON    Vm.  101 

the  ways  of  your  own  licarts ;  then  turn  to  that  good  way,  to 
which  the  hght  from  heaven  directs  you.  Turn,  with  tender 
contrition,  from  all  sin,  from  every  false  way,  and  acquaint  your- 
selves with  God ;  look  unto  Jesus,  the  Mediator,  who  hore  your 
sins  in  his  body  on  the  tree,  gratefully  acknowledge  his  love,  em- 
brace his  truth,  rely  on  his  merits,  trust  in  his  power  and  grace, 
and  henceforth  live  in  obedience  to  his  gospel.  Do  this,  and 
your  minds  will  be  at  rest,  in  regard  to  the  way  in  which  you 
should  go.  Enlightened  with  the  light  of  life,  sprinkled  from  an 
evil  conscience,  and  animated  with  a  lively  hope  of  glory,  you 
will  find  a  peace  of  mind,  a  sense  of  reconciliation  to  God,  a 
consciousness  of  truth  and  uprightness,  a  firmness  of  standing, 
VL  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  an  evidence  of  things  not  seen, 
and  a  bright  and  cheering  prospect  of  heaven,  which  will  leave 
you  n6  doubt  that  this  is  the  way  of  immortal  happiness.  You 
will  perceive  a  glorious  harmony  and  excellency  in  the  doctrines 
of  the  gospel ;  and  your  path  will  be  like  the  shining  light, 
which  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day. 

In  this  good  way,  there  is  rest  from  disquietude  under  the 
changing  aspects  of  divine  providence. — In  consequence  of  sin, 
man  is  horn  unto  trouble  as  the  sparks  fly  upward.  The  adver- 
sities of  life  are  many.  Often  are  earthly  comforts  suddenly 
snatched  aw^ay — earthly  hopes  cut  off — earthly  prospects  deso- 
lated ;  and  often  do  men  yield  themselves  to  the  fretfulness  of 
anxiety,  to  the  murmurings  of  discontent,  or  to  the  gloominess  of 
despondency.  The  reason  is,  they  have  no  solid  foundation  of 
happiness ;  no  secure  refuge  in  trouble. 

It  is  otherwise  with  those  who  walk  in  the  good  toay.  They 
walk  with  God.  Even  in  the  day  of  prosperity,  he  is  their  por- 
tion ;  in  the  day  of  adversity,  he  is  their  refuge.  The  light  of 
his  countenance  is  the  joy  of  their  hearts ;  his  wisdom  and  good- 
ness, in  all  his  allotments,  are  their  solace  and  support;  his 
statutes  and  promises  are  their  songs  in  the  house  of  their  pil- 
grimage. If  they  fall,  he  lifts  them  up  ;  if  their  spirits  are  ready 
to  faint,  his  gracious  word  revives  and  cheers  them  ;  if  danger 
surround  them,  if  affliction  assail  them,  ihey  hear  his  voice. 
Fear  not,  for  lam  with  thee;  be  not  dismayed,  for  I  ain  thy  God. 


10::  SERMON    Vlll. 

Thus  guided,  supported,  and  cheered  in  their  course,  their 
minds  are  kept  in  peace.  If  tlieir  earthly  comforts  leave  them, 
if  their  earthly  hopes  fail  them,  if  their  earthly  prospects  are 
made  desolate ;  yet  tliey  can  cheerfully  sing.  Although  the  jig- 
tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vine  ;  the  la- 
bour of  the  olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat ; 
thcJlocJcs  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd 
in  the  stalls  ;  yst  will  I  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  ivilljoy  in  the  God 
of  my  salvation.  And  even  at  tlie  last,  when  they  shall  walk 
through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  they  need^ea;-  no  evil; 
for  God  will  still  be  with  them  ;  his  rod  and  his  staff  will  com- 
fort them. 

Nor  will  their  rest  end  with  this  Hfe  5  it  will  be  consummated 
in  the  everlasting  happiness  of  heaven. — Yes,  my  brethren,  the 
good  way  leads  to  tlie  mansions  of  eternal  joy  ;  and  for  all  who 
walk  in  it  there  remaineth  an  endless  rest — a  city  of  unfailing 
habitation  and  unspeakable  bliss — an  inheritance  incorruptible, 
■and  undrfiled,  and,  which  fadeth  not  away.  There  they  shall 
hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more;  neither  shall  the  sun 
light  on  them,  nor  any  heat.  For  the  Lamb,  which  is  in  the 
midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  to  living 
fountains  of  waters ;  ojid  God  shall  U'ijpe  away  all  tears  from 
iheir  eyes. 

REFLECTIONS. 

i.  We  may  see  the  folly  and  danger  of  indulging  a  fondness 
for  new  schemes  of  religion. 

Ever  since  our  first  mother,  not  content  with  the  plain  decla- 
ration of  God,  thought  to  hav^e  her  eyes  open,  and  her  knowl- 
edge and  happiness  increased,  by  tasting  the  forbidden  fruit, 
there  has  been  in  mankind  a  strong  propensity  to  seek  out  in- 
ventions, and  to  find  some  new  way.  In  the  present  age,  this 
propensity  is  uncommonly  active.  The  time,  indeed,  has  been, 
when  the  mukitude  were  held  in  a  state  of  listless  ignorance,  and 
bound  in  the  chains  of  legendary  tradition.  But  in  Christendom 
at  large,  the  days  of  superstition  are  past ;  and  the  present  is  an 
age  of  licentious  curiosity,  and  bold  innovation.     Whatever  i? 


SERMON    VIII.  lOJ 

old  in  religion  is  stigmatized  as  traditional ;  and  people  secai 
fondly  to  iinat;iue  that,  by  embracing  new  doclriivjs  and  schemes, 
their  eyes  will  be  opened,  and  they  shall  become  as  gods. 

Let  no  one  suppose  that  any  thing  is  intended  for  the  di.s- 
couragement  of  sober  and  free  inquiry.  It  is  devoutly  to  be 
wished  that  the  spirit  for  this  were  more  prevalent  and  active. 
The  whole  subject  goes  to  recommend,  that  people  should  stand 
in  the  ways  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old  paths,  tvhcre  is  the  good 
way  ;  and  if,  hitlierto,  they  have  been  walking  in  ways  not  good, 
that  they  should  be  convinced  of  it,  and  walk  in  them  no  more ; 
that  they  should  prove  all  things,  by  the  divine  standard,  and  hold 
fast  that  which  is  good ;  that  they  should  bny  the  truth,  and  sell 
it  not.  But  die  disposhion  to  despise  doctrines,  because  they 
are  old,  and  to  embrace  other  opinions,  because  they  are  new. 
is  highly  reprehensible.  God  is  unchangeable ;  his  law,  his 
truth,  and  the  way  of  peace  with  him,  and  of  everlasting  life  in 
his  kingdom,  are  unchangeable;  and  new  schemes  of  religion. 
from  the  very  circumstance  of  their  being  new,  are  strongly  to  be 
suspected.  If,  then,  people  would  know  what  is  truth,  and  what 
they  must  do  to  be  saved  ;  they  should  take  heed v>ha.t  they  hear, 
and  how  they  hear,  and  search  the  scriptures  daily. 

2.  Our  subject  exposes  the  fallacy  and  danger  of  the  opinion, 
that  men  may  go  to  heaven,  in  very  different  ways. 

In  regard,  indeed,  to  modes  and  forms,  in  regard  also  to  mat- 
ters of  a  merely  speculative  nature,  men  may  entertain  very  dif- 
ferent opinions,  and  be  safe.  But  in  regard  to  the  main  points  of 
the  gospel,  it  cannot  be  so.  If,  my  hearers,  you  will  stand  in  the 
ways  and  see,  and  ask  concerning  the  old  paths,  you  will  readily 
perceive,  that  there  are  many  ways,  indeed,  in  which  people 
may  go  to  destruction;  but,  that  there  is  only  one  good  ivay ; 
only  one,  in  which  rest  for  the  soul  can  be  found.  This  is  the 
way  of  holiness;  o{  repentance  toicards  God,  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  humble  obedience  to  the  divine  precepts. 
Besides  this,  the  word  of  God  neither  mentions,  nor  allows,  any 
other  way  to  heaven ;  besides  this,  there  neither  is  now,  nor  ever 
has  been,  any  other  way  of  true  safety  and  peace.  He  that  hr- 
Heveih  not  the  Son.  shall  not  see  life. 


104  SERMON    VIII. 

3.  Wc  ma}'  also  aee  the  unreasonableness  of  a  skeptical  dis- 
position. 

It  is  not  unfVequently  said,  "There  are  many  opinions  in  the 
world  about  religion  ;  who,  then,  can  tell  what  is  true  ;  or  how 
shall  we  know  what  to  behev^e,  or  what  to  do .'"'  If,  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  my  hearers,  your  lot  had  been  cast  in  a  land 
where  the  gospel  is  not  known;  if  you  had  been  left,  as  miUions 
are,  to  the  dim  light  of  nature,  or  to  the  dubious  opinions  or  vain 
imaginations  of  men ;  you  might,  with  some  reason,  have  indulg- 
ed in  language  like  this.     But,  for  what  purpose,   I  pray  you, 
has  God,  in  his  mercy,  put  the  Bible  into  your  hands  ?    Is  it  not 
for  this  expressly,  that  you  may  know  tchat  is  truth,   and   be 
made  wise  unto  salvation  ?    Will  you,  then,  say  that  the  Bible  is 
not  plain,  and  that  you  cannot,  even  from  that,  know  what  to 
believe,  or  what  to  do.^  Consider,  I  beseech  you,  what  a  reflec- 
tion this  would  cast  upon  God  !    What  an  imputation   upon  his 
wisdom  and  goodness! — It  is  not  denied,  indeed,  that  there  are, 
in  the  scriptures,  some  things  hard  to  be  understood  ;  or  that  the 
honest  and  diligent  inquirer  after  truth  may  find  it  difficult  to 
settle  his  mind,  in  regard  to  some  points. — But,  in  regard  to  the 
main  concern  of  religion,  in  regard  to  the  good  ivay,  in  which 
rest  for  the  soul  is  to  be  found,  the  scriptures  are  plain,  and  he 
who  runs  may  read.     If,  then,  the  opinions  of  men  are  various 
and   contradictory,  turn,  with  earnestness,  to  the  sure  word  of 
God.      To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony  ;  if  they  speak  not  accord- 
ing to  this  word,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them.     Humbly 
submit  yourselves  to  the  teaching  of  the  divine  Spirit,  and  you 
shall  know  what  is  truth.     For,  the  meek  will  he  guide  in  judg- 
ment ;  the  meek  will  he  teach  his  way. 

Finally.  How  much  to  be  deplored  are  the  prevailing  negli- 
gence and  indifference,  in  regard  to  the  way  of  eternal  Ufe  ! — 
Is  it  not  madness,  my  brethren,  to  be  indifferent  or  negligent, 
regarding  a  concern  of  such  infinite  importance  !  Were  the  pa- 
triarchs, the  prophets,  the  righteous  men  of  former  times,  in- 
different, who  counted  not  even  their  lives  dear  unto  themselves, 
so  tiiat  they  might  finish  their  courses  with  joy,  and  finally  enter 
into  rest!    Has  the  great  God  been  indifierent,  who  has  conde- 


SERMON    VIII.  105 

scended  to  give  directions  and  warnings  to  men!  Is  Jesus  Christ 
indifferent,  who  came  down  from  heaven,  and  died  on  tlie  cross, 
to  open  the  way  of  life,  and  mark  it  with  his  blood !  Can  it  be  a 
matter  of  indifference  to  any  person,  whether  he  walk  in  the 
path  of  life,  or  in  the  ways  of  death  ;  whether  he  be  saved  or 
lost  forever!  Ah!  JVhat  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  gain  the  whole 
world,  and  lose  his  own  soul'?  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  ex- 
change for  his  soul  9 

Brethren,  if  you  are  in  the  good  way,  be  steadfast,  immovea- 
ble, always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  Forgetting 
those  things  lohich  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those 
things  which  are  before,  press  toivard  the  mark  for  the  prize  of 
the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  Lay  aside  every 
weight,  and  the  si7i  which  most  easily  besetteth  you,  and  so  run 
that  you  may  obtain.  Be  followers  of  them  who,  through  faith 
and  patience,  inherit  the  promises.  Giving  all  diligence,  add  to 
your  faith,  virtue;  and  to  virtue,  knowledge;  and  to  knowledge, 
temperance  ;  and  to  temperance,  patience  ;  and  to  patience,  god- 
liness ;  and  to  godliness,  brotherly  kindness  ;  and  to  brotherly 
kindness,  charity.  Then  shall  ye  know  if  ye  follow  on  to  know 
the  Lord  ;  his  going  forth  is  prepared  as  the  morning  ;  and  he 
shall  come  unto  you  as  the  rain,  as  the  latter  and  former  rain 
unto  the  earth.  He  will  guide  you  with  his  counsel,  and  after- 
ward receive  you  to  glory. 

May  every  one  who  is  out  of  the  way,  at  once  encoiu-aged 
and  warned  by  this  subject,  seriously  reflect,  repent,  come  to  the 
knowledge,  and  to  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth,  and  set  out 
in  earnest  for  heaven.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  stand  ye  in  the 
loays  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old  paths,  where  is  the  good  ivay, 
and  walk  therein,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  for  your  souls. — Amen. 
14 


SERMON  IX. 


FALLOW  GROUND  TO  BE  BROKEN  UP  AND  SOWN  IN 
RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


HoSEA  X.  12. 

^ow  to  yourselves  in  righteousness,,  reap  in  mercy  ;  break  up  your  fah- 
low  ground:  for  it  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord,  till  he  come  and  rain 
righteousness  upon  you. 

jISRAEL  is  an  crnpty  vine;  he  bringeth  forth  fruit  unto  him- 
self. Such  is  the  solemn  declaration  of  Jehovah,  by  his  prophet, 
in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter.  And  alas,  my  friends,  to  how 
large  a  proportion  of  mankind,  to  how  many  of  us,  will  this 
affecting  and  momentous  declaration  apply.  Concerning  us  the 
God  of  all  mercy  might  say,  as,  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  he  said 
of  the  people  of  Judah,  What  could  have  been  done  more  to  my 
vineyard,  that  I  have  not  done  in  it  ?  Wherefore,  then,  when  I 
looked  that  it  should  bring  forth  grapes,  brought  it  forth  ivild 
grapes !  Is  it  not  a  fact,  as  manifest  as  it  is  melancholy,  that  not- 
withstanding the  abundant  cultivation  bestowed  upon  us,  the 
manifold  privileges,  with  which  we  have  been  favoured,  many  of 
us  have  brought  forth  no  fruit  unto  God ;  but  have  been  produc- 
tive only  of  the  grapes  of  Sodom,  and  the  clusters  of  Gomorrah  ? 
Or,  with  a  little  variation  of  figure,  might  not  Jehovah  justly  say 
to  us,  as,  in  the  verse  next  following  the  text,  he  said  to  ancient 
Israel,  Ye  have  ploughed  ivickedness  ;  ye  have  reaped  iniquity ; 


SERMON  IX.  iOT 

ye  have  eaten  the  fruit  of  lies.  These  are  all,  indeed,  figurative 
expressions ;  but  the  purport  of  them  is  plain,  and  the  applica- 
tion most  solemn.  With  what  deep  interest  and  solemnity,  then, 
does  it  behoove  us  to  attend  to  the  earrvest  and  gracious  words  of 
the  text.  Soiv  to  yourselves  in  righteousness,  reap  in  mercy ; 
break  up  your  fallow  ground :  for  it  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord,  till 
he  come  and  rain  righteousness  upon  you. 

The  several  clauses  of  the  text,  though  intimately  connected, 
yet  deserve  each  a  distinct  consideration  ;  they  will,  therefore, 
constitute,  in  their  order,  so  many  distinct  heads  of  discourse. 
1.  Sow  to  yourselves  in  righteousness.  2.  Reap  in  mercy. 
3.  Break  up  your  fallow  ground.  4.  For  it  is  time  to  seek  the 
Lord,  till  he  come  and  rain  righteousness  upon  you. 

I.  Then,  Sow  to  yourselves  in  righteousness. 

The  present  is  our  seed  time  for  the  future.  The  season  lof 
youth  is  the  seed  time  for  old  age ;  and  tlie  term  of  our  proba- 
tionaiy  life  in  this  world,  is  our  seed  time  for  eternity  ;  and  it  is 
a  general  law,  distinctly  announced  in  the  word  of  God,  What- 
soever any  one  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap. 

By  sowing,  we  are  to  understand  the  doing  of  such  things  as 
are  connected  with  future  consequences,  fruits,  or  rewards. 
The  scattering  of  seed  in  the  field  is  connected  with  the  harvest, 
which  the  husbandman  afterwards  gathers.  This  is  literal  sow- 
ing ;  and  this  is  the  image,  which  is  used  in  the  text,  and  else- 
where in  the  scriptures,  to  represent  and  illustrate  moral  doings. 
Not  more  certainly,  but  even  less  certainly,  is  the  scattering  of 
seed  in  the  earth  followed  by  a  harvest,  than  the  moral  actions 
of  men  will  all  be  followed  by  correspondent  consequences, 
fruits,  or  rewards.  The  term,  moral  actions,  or  doings,  includes 
both  the  inward  thoughts  and  exercises  of  men,  and  their  out- 
ward words  and  deeds  ;  and  all  these  may  be  considered  as 
seeds  sown  for  future  harvest. 

A  great  portion  of  mankind  sow  to  themselves  only  worldly 
seed.  Though  their  outward  characters  may  be  reputable  ;  yet 
their  thoughts,  their  affections,  tlieir  desires,  their  pursuits,  are 
all  directed  towards  worldly  objects.  They  should,  therefore, 
expect  to  have  their  portion  in  this  world:    to  receive  all  their 


108  SERMON  IX. 

good  things  in  the  present  hfe  ;  and,  at  death,  to  be  stripped  of 
all  which  their  hearts  have  loved  and  sought,  and  to  be  consign- 
ed to  an  eternity  of  poverty,  and  wretchedness,  and  despaii*. 
Many  sow  to  themselves  seeds,  which  can  yield  only  the  most 
bitter  fruits.  It  is  thus  with  the  dishonest,  the  lewd,  the  scoffing, 
the  profane,  the  profligate, — the  openly  immoral  and  impious  of 
every  description.  Their  affections  and  thoughts,  their  words 
and  deeds,  are  not  merely  worldly,  but  atrociously  corrupt  and 
vicious  ;  and  the  consequences  of  them,  unless  prevented  by 
timely  repentance,  must  certainly  be  infamy,  remorse,  and  mise- 
ry, temporal  and  eternal.  Others  would  fain  sow  to  themselves 
seeds  of  a  very  different  kind  ;  seeds  which  will  yield  them  a 
joyful  harvest,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  the  world  to 
come.  They  think  about  religion,  and  intend  to  be  religious ; 
they  think  about  their  souls,  and  mean  not  wholly  to  neglect 
them  ;  they  think  about  eternity,  and  hope  to  attain  to  everlast- 
ing life.  But  they  deceive  themselves  respecting  the  seed  which 
they  sow ;  and,  unless  they  seasonably  escape  from  the  culpable 
deception,  they  must  be  miserably  disappointed,  in  regard  to  the 
harvest  to  be  reaped.  Either  they  trust  in  themselves  that  they 
are  righteous,  or  they  lay  out  all  their  zeal  about  an  orthodox 
creed,  or  they  spend  their  time  and  pains  in  labouring  to  estab- 
lish themselves  in  some  favourite  and  quieting  errour,  or  their 
religious  thoughts  and  cares  are  transient,  and  their  goodness  is 
like  the  morning  cloud  and  the  early  dew. 

But  my  friends,  divine  wisdom  points  out  to  you  a  more  ex- 
cellent ivay.  It  directs  you  to  sow  to  yourselves  in  righteousness. 
And  what  is  the  purport  of  this,  but  that  you  should  do  that 
which  is  right — right  in  the  sight  of  Him  who  trieth  the  heart 
and  reins  ?  What,  then,  is  it  to  do  that  which  is  right  in  the  sight 
of  God .''  It  is  to  yield  obedience,  sincere  and  unreseiTed  obedi- 
ence to  him.  In  his  lav/,  he  requires  you  to  love  him  with  all 
the  heart,  and.  soul,  and  mind,  and  strength,  and  your  neighbour 
as  yourselves  ;  and  evermore  to  act,  in  all  your  conduct  towards 
him,  and  towards  your  fellow  beings,  agreeably  to  the  dictates, 
and  under  the  governing  influence,  of  this  holy  love.  But,  are 
you  not  conscious  to  yourselves,  that  you  have  not  obeyed  this 


SERMON   IX.  109 

law?  Have  you  not  loved  yourselves,  and  loved  tlie  world, ir, ore 
than  God  ?  Have  you  not,  indeed,  been  entirely  estranged  from 
die  love  of  God  ;  so  alienated  from  him,  as  never  to  have  done 
any  thing  in  true  obedience  to  him,  or  from  a  sincere  regard  to 
his  honour  and  glory  ?  Have  you  not  always  acted,  even  in  what 
you  would  esteem  the  best  of  your  conduct,  from  other  motives, 
and  with  other  views.  Recollect,  if  you  can,  the  single  day,  ov 
hour,  since  you  came  into  the  world,  during  which  supreme  love 
to  God  ruled  your  heart,  and  governed  your  actions.  Recollect, 
if  you  can,  the  single  act  of  your  lives,  of  which  love  to  him  was 
the  only  spring,  or  a  desire  to  glorify  him  tlie  only  motive.  But 
need  1  urge  this  inquiry.''  Are  you  not  ready  to  acknowledge, 
that  you  have  never  loved  God  as  he  requires ;  and,  therefore, 
that  all  your  days,  hitherto,  you  have  lived  in  disobedience  to 
him, — in  continual  transgression  of  his  holy  law  ? 

What,  then,  is  the  lirst  thing  requisite,  in  order  that  you  soiv 
to  yourselves  in  righteousness  ?  Is  it  not,  evidently,  repentance 
towards  God'?  Surely,  if  you  have  all  your  days  been  living  in 
disobedience  to  him,  transgressing  his  law,  withholding  from  him 
the  devotion  of  heart  and  soul,  the  high  and  sacred  regards  and 
honours,  which  are  his  due,  you  cannot  be  righteous  in  his  sight; 
you  cannot  sow  a  single  seed  in  righteousness,  until  you  repent, 
and  yield  yourselves  up,  with  all  your  affections  and  powers,  to 
him.  It  is  utterly  in  vain  for  any  one  to  think  of  being  righteous, 
so  long  as  he  lives  in  continual  robbery  of  God,  in  unrelenting 
disobedience  and  rebellion  against  him.  It  is,  therefore,  with 
most  evident  reason,  that  the  gospel  first  of  all  renuires  that  men 
should  repent : 

Yes,  my  hearers,  it  is  the  high  call  of  heaven,  Repent,  and 
he  converted,  every  one  of  you.  If  ye  will  return,  return  unto 
me,  says  Jehovah.  Wash  you,  make  you  clean  ;  put  away  the 
evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes  ;  cease  to  do  evil ;  learn 
to  do  well.  All  this  is  most  clearly  implied  in  sowing  in  right- 
eousness„  It  is  to  turn  from  every  evil  way,  and,  with  humble 
and  obedient  respect  to  all  the  divine  commands,  to  do  that 
which  is  lawful  and  right,  both  towards  God  and  towards  men. 
But, 


110  SERMON  IX. 

II.  We  are  directed  to  reap  in  mercy. 

To  reap  is  to  gather  the  fruits  of  the  seed  which  has  been 
sown  ;  to  partake  of  the  consequences  or  rewards  of  the  deeds 
which  have  been  done. 

This  divine  direction,  reajy  in  mercy,  is  of  a  purport  as  affect- 
ing, as  it  is  momentous.  Had  we  always  sown  in  righteousness, 
we  should  have  reaped,  not  in  mercy,  but  in  equity.  Had  we 
never  sinned,  but  always  been  perfectly  obedient,  we  should 
have  received  the  reward  of  endless  life  and  happiness,  as  a 
bestowment,  not  of  sovereign  grace,  but  of  eternal  justice.  But 
now  it  is  far  otherwise.  By  sin,  we  have  forfeited  eternal  Hfe, 
and  incurred  eternal  death  ;  and  though  we  repent  and  become 
obedient,  yet,  neither  the  deepest  repentance,  nor  the  most  per- 
fect subsequent  obedience,  could  expiate  or  cancel  the  guilt  we 
have  contracted.  We  can  be  rescued  from  endless  wo,  and 
raised  to  immortal  life,  only  by  mercy,  sovereign,  infinite  mercy. 

This  is  a  point,  on  which  the  scriptures  most  constantly  and 
earnestly  insist;  and  in  regard  to  which  sinful,  impenitent  men, 
are  at  most  criminal  and  fatal  disagreement  with  God.  It  is,  in 
fact,  the  very  point  which  decides  the  appalling  question  of 
eternal  life,  or  eternal  death.  God  offers  salvation  as  the  free 
gift  of  his  mercy,  through  Jesus  Christ.  Impenitent  sinners  re- 
fuse this  offer.  Unwilling  to  accept  the  punishment  of  their 
iniquities,  they  spuvn  at  sovereign  mercy;  and  either  claim  eter- 
nal life  at  the  hand  of  justice,  or  neglect  the  momentous  concern, 
as  undeserving  of  their  serious  attention. 

God,  however,  has  stated  the  terms  of  life;  terms,  not  only 
perfectly  equitable,  but  infinitely  gracious ;  and  from  them  he  will 
not  recede.  While  he  calls  upon  us  to  sow  in  righteousness,  to 
repent,  and  do  works  meet  for  repentance,  he  directs  us  to  reap 
in  mercy  ;  to  look  for  justification  and  life,  only  to  that  wonder- 
ful mercy,  which  has  found  a  ransom  for  our  souls  in  the  blood 
of  his  Son.  This  direction,  in  the  first  place,  seems  intended 
to  repress  the  native  pride  of  our  hearts,  and  to  bring  us  to  feel 
and  acknowledge  our  guilt  and  /u's  justice.  In  the  second  place, 
it  gives  us  assurance  that  his  mercy  is  abundant  and  free  ;  that 
with  him  there  is  forgiveness,  and  plenteous  redemption.     And  in 


SERMON   IX.  Ill 

the  third  place,  it  calls  upon  us  to  exercise  faith  in  this  mercy  ; 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  our  Redeemer  and  Saviour  ; 
faith  in  his  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  our  sins,  and  in  his  willing- 
ness and  ability  to  bestow  upon  us  all  the  blessings  of  salvation. 

If,  my  friends,  you  comply  with  this  gracious  direction,  you 
will  begin  to  reap  immediately.  You  will  immediately  receive, 
as  the  fruits  of  sovereign  mercy,  the  forgiveness  of  your  sins, 
justification  unto  life,  peace  with  God,  and  a  hope,  from  which 
will  spring  yoy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.  These  fruits  you 
will  reap  in  the  present  world  ;  and  in  the  world  to  come  you 
will  participate,  with  till  the  multitude  of  the  redeemed,  in  the 
full  and  immortal  harvest  of  the  Paradise  of  God. — But  another 
direction  claims  attention : 

III.  Break  up  your  fallow  ground. 

What,  my  hearers,  is  the  purport  of  this  reitiarkable  injunc-^ 
tion .''  The  prophet  Jeremiah  will  explain.  In  the  fourth  chap- 
ter of  his  prophecy,  he  says,  Break  up  your  falloio  ground,  and 
aow  not  among  thorns.  Circumcise  yourselves  unto  the  Lordf 
and  take  away  the  foreskins  of  your  heart. 

Our  hearts,  then,  are  represented  as  being  naturally  like  fal- 
low ground ;  ground  untilled,  unploughed,  hard,  and  overrun 
with  thorns,  and  briers,  and  every  ill  and  noxious  weed ;  and 
from  which  the  skilful  husbandman  would  never  think  of  gather- 
ing a  harvest,  until  it  should  be  broken  up,  and  softened,  and 
prepared  for  the  reception  of  seed.  This  representation,  un- 
doubtedly, is  as  just  as  it  is  striking.  Our  Saviour  himself 
varies  it  but  little,  when,  in  the  parable  of  the  sower,  he  speaks 
of  those  who  receive  seed  in  stony  places,  by  the  way  side,  and 
among  thorns. — Yet,  how  commonly  is  the  solemn  fact  here  set 
forth  entirely  overlooked .''  Many  there  are,  who  seem  to  expect 
a  harvest,  even  without  sowing  the  seed,  or  bestowing  any  at- 
tention or  labour  upon  the  ground ; — seem  to  expect  all  the 
blessings  of  salvation,  though  tliey  wholly  neglect  their  souls, 
and  all  the  means  of  grace.  Others  sow  among  the  thorns,  and 
briers,  and  various  weeds,  and  fondly  hope  to  reap  in  due  time. 
They  attend  upon  the  means  of  grace,  read  the  scriptures,  hear 
the  gospel  preached,  make  themselves  acquainted  with  divine 


112  SERMON    IX. 

truth,  and  talk  about  religion  ;  and  hence  hope  for  eternal  life  ; 
tliough  they  do  not  even  break  off  from  their  open  sins,  or  out- 
wardly reform  their  lives.  Others  still  do  something  more — 
They  clear  the  surface  of  the  thorns  and  briers,  and  even  per- 
haps of  the  smaller  weeds ;  but  yet  they  sow  upon  the  ground, 
still  hard  and  unbroken,  with  all  the  noxious  roots  remaining  in 
it.  They  break  off  from  flagrant  sins,  reform  their  outward  lives, 
are  careful  to  free  themselves  even  from  the  smallest  vices,  to 
be  strictly  moral,  and  regularly  to  attend  upon  the  institutions  of 
religion  ;  they  read  the  scriptures,  they  w^ait  at  wisdom's  gates, 
they  hear  the  word  gladly ;  they  have,  also,  perhaps,  their  sea- 
sons of  prayer,  they  are  concerned  for  their  souls,  they  are 
earnest  about  religion ;  and  they  either  imagine  that  they  are 
already  in  the  way  of  life,  or  they  fondly  hope  soon  to  be  in  it ; 
or  else  they  wonder  that  they  have  not  found  peace,  and  are 
ready  to  despond,  as  if  salvation  was  not  for  them.  Yet,  alas, 
they  have  not  broken  up  \he\v  fallow  ground  ; — their  hearts  are 
still  unsubdued.  Here  lies  their  danger ;  and  upon  this  point, 
it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  their  attention  should  be  fixed. 
My  friends,  unless  om  fallow  ground  be  broken  up,  we  can 
neither  sow  in  righteousness,  nor  reap  in  mercy.  Until,  by  the 
application  of  the  divine  law  in  its  spirituality,  of  divine  truth 
with  its  light  and  power,  we  are  convinced  of  sin, — of  our  in- 
ward depravity,  as  well  as  our  outward  offences  ;  and  until  our 
hearts  are  broken,  humbled,  subdued;  we  shall  neither  exercise 
true  repentance  towards  God,  nor  truly  look  for  the  mercy  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life.  But,  to  the  broken  spirit, 
the  contrite  heart,  God  will  assuredly  be  gracious  ;  and  the  seed 
sown  therein,  blessed  with  his  heavenly  influences,  will  spring,- 
and  grow,  and  yield  immortal  fruit.  The  sacrifices  of  God  are 
a  broken  spirit ;  a  broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  he  will  not 
despise. 


SERMON  X. 


FALLOW  GROUND  TO  BE  BROKEN  UP  AND  SOWN  IN 
RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


»®« 


HOSEA  X.   1  2. 

SOTie  to  yourselves  in  righteousness,  reap  in  mercy ;  break  up  your  fal- 
low ground :  for  it  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord,  till  he  come  and  rain 
righteousness  upon  you, 

It  is  true,  that  the  language  of  scripture  is  often  and  highly 
figurative  ;  but  it  is  not  true,  that  the  figures,  excepting  in  pro- 
phetick  passages,  designedly  obscure  until  fulfilled,  are  hard  to 
be  understood.  They  are  such  as  the  Father  of  lights,  who 
mercifully  condescends  to  instruct  the  ignorant  children  of  men, 
has  seen  fit  to  employ,  not  to  darken,  but  to  elucidate  his  in- 
structions, and  the  more  deeply  to  impress  them  on  the  memo- 
ry, and  on  the  heai't.  If,  on  the  one  hand,  the  figurative  lan- 
guage of  scripture  is  explained  by  the  literal ;  the  literal,  on  the 
other  hand,  is  illustrated  by  the  figurative  ;  and,  mutually  re- 
flecting light  on  each  other,  they  together  make  the  way  of  truth 
and  peace  so  plain,  that  the  way-faring  man,  though  a  fool,  need 
not  essentially  err  therein. 

Our  text  is  a  sample  of  highly  figurative   scripture.     Every 
clause  of  it  is  figured.     But  is  not  the  general  purport  of  it  ex- 
ceedingly obvious  .'*    Do  not  the  particular  truths  and  counsels, 
conveyed  in   it,  open  in  easv  connection,  and  with  impressive 
15 


114  SERMON    X. 

clearness  and  force.  And  do  not  the  very  rigurcs,  instead  of 
producing  obscurity,  eminently  serve  to  elucidate,  and  to  pre- 
sent the  whole  instruction  in  a  stronger  light  than  could  well 
have  been  done  by  a  literal  style  ? 

The  several  clauses  of  the  text  properly  constitute  so  many 
distinct  heads.  1.  Sow  to  yourselves  in  righteousness.  2.  Reap 
in  mercy.  3.  Break  up  your  fallow  ground.  4.  For  it  is  time 
to  seek  the  Lord,  till  he  come  and  rain  righteousness  upon  you. 
To  the  first  three  heads  we  have  already  attended,  and  now  ask 
your  attention  to  the  other. 

IV.  For  it  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord,  till  he  come  and  rain 
righteousness  upon  you. 

The  connection  between  this  clause  and  the  preceding: 
clauses  deserve  notice.  Sow  to  yourselves  in  righteousness^ 
reap  in  mercy  ^  break  up  your  fallow  ground :  for  it  is  time  to 
seek  the  Lord,  till  he  come  and  rain  righteousness  upon  you.. 
There  is  here  a  striking  similarity  to  other  passages  of  scripture, 
and  particularly  a  memorable  one  in  the  second  chapter  of  Paul's 
epistle  to  the  Philippians.  Work  out  your  own  salvation  with 
fear  and  trembling  ;  for  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  you  both  to 
will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.  In  both  these  instances,  as 
in  many  others,  it  is  clearly  represented,  that  in  the  work  of  our 
salvation,  something  is  to  be  done  on  our  part,  and  something 
on  God's  part ;  and  that  the  one  will  not  be  done  without  the 
other.  That,  in  the  economy  of  grace,  human  agency  and  di- 
vine agency  have  an  important  relation  to  each  other,  and  are 
intimately  connected ;  so  that  they  who  would  separate  them 
are  chargeable  with  attempting  to  put  asunder  what  God  hath 
joined  together.  If  we  are  not  to  expect  that  God  will  come  and 
rain  righteousness  upon  us,  unless  we  break  up  our  fallow 
ground,  and  sow  in  righteousness  ;  so,  neither  can  we  break  up 
our  fallow  ground,  or  sow  in  righteousness,  unless  he  do  come 
and  rain  righteousness  upon  us.  F(«/,  what  are  we  to  under- 
stand by  his  raining  righteousness  upon  us'^  Undoubtedly  it 
means,  his  sending  down  those  showers  of  his  heavenly  grace, 
those  influences  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  which  will  enable  us  to  do 
that  which  is  right  before  him  ;    to  exercise  repentance  toivards 


SERMON    X.  115 

trod,  and  faith  totvards  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  walk 
henceforth  wi  7ietvness  of  life  and  new  obedience.  But  what  is 
all  this,  but  his  enabling  us  to  break  up  our  fallow  ground,  to 
sow  in  righteousness,  and  to  reap  in  mercy'? 

These  preliminary  remarks  may  serve  to  open  the  way  to  a 
more  distinct  view  of  the  import  of  the  clause  under  considera- 
tion. For  it  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord,  till  he  come  and  rain 
righteousness  upon  ijou.  Here,  four  principal  ideas  are  pre- 
-sented.  1.  That  we  need  the  divine  grace.  2.  That  if  we 
would  obtain  it,  we  must  seek  it.  3.  That  if  we  do  seek  it 
aright,  we  shall  obtain  it.  4.  That  no  time  is  to  be  lost  in 
■seekmg  it. 

I.  Then,  we  need  the  grace  of  God. 

It  is  only  by  the  grace  of  God,  that  salvation  is  brought  to 
us,  or  obtained  by  us.  It  was  by  the  grace  of  God,  tliat  a  ran- 
som was  found  for  us,  in  the  blood  of  his  Son  ;  that  a  way  of 
life  was  opened  to  us,  through  the  sacrifice  of  the  cross.  It  is 
by  the  grace  of  God,  that  we  are  placed  and  continued  in  a  state 
of  hopeful  probation.  And  it  is  by  the  grace  of  God,  that  we 
are  endowed  with  the  privileges  of  the  gospel,  and  the  various 
means  of  religion  and  salvation.  Much,  very  much  has  his  grace 
ah-eady  done  for  us  all.  It  has  brought  salvation  near;  pointed 
out  to  us  the  way  in  which  we  may  certainly  obtain  it;  and 
earnestly  invited  us  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  us. — Yet 
we  need  still  more.  We  need  divine  grace  to  make  us  willing, 
and  to  enable  us  to  lay  hold  on  this  glorious  hope. 

We  are  required,  and  most  reasonably  required,  to  soiv  in 
righteousness.  But,  without  divine  grace  we  cannot ;  for,  natu- 
rally, we  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  without  power  m 
ourselves  to  rise  to  a  life  of  righteousness  and  true  holiness. 
Without  divine  grace,  without  the  converting  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  we  cannot  do  the  first  thing  implied  in  our  sowing 
in  righteousness ; — we  cannot  repent  and  turn  from  sin  unto  God. 
We  are  required,  and  most  compassionately  required,  to  reap  in 
mercy.  But  this  we  cannot  do,  without  divine  grace.  Without 
the  mighty  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  giving  us  spiritual  life  and 
strength,  we  cannot  come  to  the  seat  of  mercy ;  we  camiot  truly 


116  SERMON    X. 

even  ask  for  pardon  and  life  ;  we  cannot  receive  the  Lord  Jesu's 
Christ,  or  trust  in  him  for  salvation.  We  are  required,  and  most 
benevolently  required,  io  break  up  our  fallow  ground.  But  this, 
without  divine  grace,  we  can  never  do.  Our  hearts  are  too 
hard  for  us,  of  ourselves,  to  break  into  contrition.  The  pride  of 
our  hearts  is  too  stubborn  for  us  to  subdue ;  the  enmity  of  our 
carnal  mind  against  God,  his  law,  and  his  grace,  is  too  strong  for 
us  to  overcome ;  the  corrupt  propensities  of  our  nature,  the  roots 
in  us  of  all  that  is  evil,  are  too  deeply  inwrought  in  the  very 
texture  of  our  souls  for  us  to  eradicate.  We  must  be  born  again; 
we  must  be  created  anew ;  the  stony  heart  must  be  taken  away, 
and  a  heart  of  flesh  must  be  given.  But  all  this  can  only  be 
done  by  the  grace  of  God,  by  the  renovating  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Certainly,  then,  we  need  the  grace  of  God, — his 
renewing,  life  giving,  sanctifying  grace,  and  without  it  can  never 
enter  into  his  kingdom. 

II.  If  we  would  obtain  this  grace,  we  must  seek  it. 

It  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord, — to  seek  him,  till  he  come  and 
rain  righteousness  upon  you.  On  no  point  is  the  scripture  more 
explicit,  more  abundant,  or  more  urgent,  than  on  this,  that  we, 
that  all,  should  seek  the  Lord  and  his  salvation.  Seek  ye  the 
Lord,  while  he  may  be  found  ;  call  ye  upon  him,  while  he  is  near. 
Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteousness.  Jesus 
Christ  spake  a  parable  to  this  intent,  that  men  ought  always  to 
pray  and  not  to  faint.  The  Lord  is  said  to  look  doivn  from 
heaven  upon  the  children  of  men,  to  see  if  there  be  any  that  un- 
derstand, that  seek  God, — as  if  this  were  their  first  duty. 
And  it  is  said,  with  a  peculiar  emphasis,  The  wicked,  through 
the  pride  of  his  countenance,  will  not  seek  after  God;  as  if  this 
were  the  very  consummation  of  contumacious  wickedness. 
Such  are  the  abundant  representations  of  scripture.  And  if  the 
plain  word  of  God  can  decide  any  point,  it  does  decide  this, 
that  it  is  the  duty,  the  indispensable  duty  of  all  men,  of  every 
person,  to  seek  God  ;  and  that  no  one  has  any  right  to  expect 
his  salvation,  unless  he  do  seek. 

But  what  are  we  to  understand  by  seeking   God,  his  king- 
dom, and  his  righteousness?    It  means,  undoubtedly,  praying  to 


SERMON    X.  117 

him, — calling  upon  his  name, — imploring  his  merey;  and,  with 
earnest  desires  towards  him,  humbly  and  diligently  attending 
upon  all  his  instituted  means  of  grace. 

111.  If  we  do  seek  the  grace  of  God  aright,  we  certainly 
shall  obtain  it. 

It  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord,  till  he  cojie,  and  rain  right'- 
eousiiess  upon  you.  This,  my  friends,  most  clearly  imports,  that 
if  you  do  seek  him,  as  you  ought,  he  certainly  will  come,  and 
bestow  his  grace  upon  you.  And  to  this  same  effect  the  scrip- 
tiue,  in  many  places,  is  explicit  and  decisive.     In  proof  of  this, 

hear  the  language  of  Moses  to  the  children  of  Israel.     If 

thoa  shah  seek  the  Lord  thy  God,  thou  shall  find  him,  if  thou 
seek  him  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul.  To  the  same 
purpose  are  the  words  of  Dav  id  to  Solomon.     And  thou,  Solo- 

mon  my  son,  know  thou  the  God  of  thy  father  ; if  thou 

seek  him,  he  will  be  found  of  thee.  The  same  inspired  servant 
of  the  Lord  says  again,  your  heart  shall  live,  that  seek  Cod. 
The  language  of  Jehovah  himself,  to  his  people,  by  the  prophet 
Jeremiah,  is,  ye  shall  seek  me,  and  find  me,  ivhen  ye  shall  search 
for  me  tvith  all  your  heart.  By  the  prophet  Amos,  he  says 
again,  Seek  ye  me,  and  ye  shall  live.  And  our  blessed  Saviour 
says,  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find ; 
knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you :  for  every  one  that  askcth, 
receiveth  ;  and  he  that  seeketh,findeth  ;  and  to  him  that  knockcih, 
it  shall  be  opened.  Language  could  not  be  more  explicit  or 
decisive ;  yet  our  gracious  Lord  pursues  the  subject  in  a  manner 
which  should  repress  every  rising  doubt,  and  melt  into  filial 
affection  and  affiance  every  unbelieving  heart.  TVhat  man  is 
there  of  you,  he  says,  whom  if  his  son  ask  bread  u'ill  he  give  him 
a  stone  ?  Or  if  he  ask  a  fish,  will  he  give  him  a  serpent'^  -(Tve 
then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children, 
how  much  more  shall  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  give  good 
things  to  them  that  ask  him! — Yes,  how  much  more,  as  he  ex- 
presses it  in  another  place,  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him?  This  is  directly  to  the  poh^.t 
in  the  text.  It  is  time,  says  the  prophet,  to  seek  the  Lord,  till 
he  come  and  rain  righteousness, — send  down  the  influences 
of  his  Holy  Spirit — upon  you.     And,  says  the  Saviour,  how  much 


118  SERMON   X. 

more  shall  T/our  heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them 
that  ask  him,  than  any  eai'thly  father  will  give  good  gifts  to  his 
children  ? 

These  passages,  surely,  are  ahundantly  sufficient  to  convince 
the  most  incredulous,  that  every  one  who  seeks  the  grace  of  God 
nrighr,  will  certainly  ohtain  it. 

But,  how  should  we  seek  ?  We  should  seek  with  all  our 
hearts,  and  loiih  all  our  souls.  This  imports  a  deep,  aifecting, 
and  abiding  sense  of  pur  need  of  his  grace ;  and  a  humble, 
earnest,  and  persevering  waiting  upon  him  for  it.  It  implies,  in- 
deed, what  is  expressed  in  the  preceding  clauses  of  the  text; 
the  breaking  up  of  the  fallow  ground  ;  the  sowing  in  righteous- 
ness, and  reaping  in  mercy ;  the  exercises  of  repentance  towards 
God,  and  faith  towards  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. — But  you  will 
say,  'Is  not  divine  grace,  the  influences  of  the  Spirit,  to  be 
sought  for  this  very  effect,  to  break  the  stony  heart,  and  to  pro- 
duce repentance  and  faith  ?'  Certainly  it  is. — You  will  then,  per- 
haps, inquire  further,  'If  we  cannot  ask  aright,  till  this  effect  be 
produced  in  us,  how  then  can  it  be  said  that  the  grace,  by  which 
it  is  produced,  is  given  in  answer  to  prayer,  or  is  obtained  by 
seeking  .''' — What  saith  the  scripture  ?  Before  they  call,  I  will 
answer ;  and  ivhile  they  are  yet  speaking,  I  will  hear.  If  this  is 
not  a  full  and  satisfactory  answer  to  the  question,  it  may  at  least 
serve  to  throw  some  light  on  the  point.  It  may  shew  us  that,  in 
order  of  time,  prayer  does  not  necessarily  precede  the  answer ; 
but  the  answer  may  be  at  least  simultaneous  with  the  prayer. 

"  God's  preventing  grace"  was  a  phrase  much  used  by  an- 
cient divines ;  meaning  grace  going  before,  and  producing 
in  the  heart  the  very  desires  in  answer  to  which  it  is  given ;  pro- 
ducing, at  once,  the  desire,  and  the  experience,  of  the  grace  of  a 
new  heart,  of  repentance,  and  of  faith. 

Whatever  difficuhy  there  may  seem  to  be  nt  this  precise 
point ;  yet  the  main  things  relating  to  it  are  sufficiently  plain  for 
every  practical  purpose.  It  is  most  plain,  that  it  is  the  duty  of 
all  persons  to  seek  God,  to  pray  to  him  and  wait  upon  him  in  his 
appointed  ways  ;  that  every  one  who  does  seek  aright  will  cer- 
tainly obtain  his  grace ;  and  that  to  seek  aright  is  to  seek  with 
humility,  penitence,  and  faith.     All  this  is  as  clear,  from  the 


SERxMON    X.  119 

scriptures,  as  the  H^ht  of  tiie  meridian  sun.  And  this,  I  say,  is 
sutiicient  lor  every  practical  purpose.  It  holds  out  to  every  per- 
son, all  possible  inducement  to  seek  the  Lord  ;  it  teaches  also, 
and  adaionisiies  every  one  not  to  imagine,  that  a  heartless,  im- 
penitent, faithless  seeking  will  be  acceptable  to  God  ;  and,  at  the 
same  time,  it  calls  upon  and  encourages  every  one  not  to  give 
over,  or  cease  from  seeking,  because  he  is  conscious  that,  hitherto^ 
he  has  not  been  enabled  to  seek  aright,  and  that  even  now  he 
has  not  the  requisite  temper  of  heart.  No  person,  whether  re- 
generate or  unregenerate,  no  person  knows,  whetlier  he  shall  or 
can  seek  God  aright  or  not,  until  he  makes  the  attempt.  The 
person,  who  is  conscious  that  in  all  his  seeking,  in  all  his  prayers 
hitherto,  he  has  been  without  penitence,  without  faith,  without 
true  desires  towards  God,  does  not  know  but  that,  if  he  now  at- 
tempt, he  will  have  grace  to  offer  unto  God  the  sacrifice  of  a 
broken  and  contrite  spirit,  which  he  loill  not  despise.  Stretch 
forth  thine  hand,  said  Jesus  to  the  man  whose  hand  was  withered, 
and  he  stretched  it  forth,  and  found  it  whole.  Seek  ye  me,  says 
God  to  all  in  this  liouse  ;  aiKl  who  of  you  will  say,  I  cannot  com- 
ply ^     But, 

IV.  No  time  is  to  be  lost,  in  seeking  God  and  his  grace. 

It  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord, — to  seek  him,  till  he  come  and 
rain  righteousness  upon  you.  There  is  a  time  to  soiv,  and  a 
time  to  reap.  If  the  husbandman  neglect  to  break  up  his  ground,. 
and  to  sow,  in  the  proper  season,  he  will  find  occasion  to  regret^ 
with  fruitless  sorrow,  his  improvidence,  when  the  time  of  harvest 
shall  come.  Now,  my  friends,  now  is  the  time  for  us  to  sow  for 
a  future  harvest, — to  sow  for  eternity.  JVow  is  the  accepted  time^ 
behold  now  is  the  day  of  salvation. — And  deeply  should  we  feet 
our  obligations  to  the  God  of  mercy,  for  affording  us  this  season 
of  grace.  But  we  slwuld  also  remember,  that  we  know  not  how 
soon  this  precious  season  will  close.  It  is  limited,  and  the  limit 
is  known  to  God  alone.  If  we  neglect  to  seek  him  to  day,  it 
may  be  too  late  to-morrow.  This  plain  consideration  is,  of 
itself,  sufficient  to  shew  that  no  time  is  to  be  lost.  Yet  other- 
considerations  might  be  urged  to  the  same  effect. 

Have  we  omitted  to  seek  the  Lord  until  now .''   Has  he  been 
holding  out  his  mercy  to  us  all  our  days,  and  callbg  upon  us  to 


120  SERMON    X. 

accept  il ;  and  have  we,  all  our  days,  been  refusing,  or  neglect- 
ing? With  what  ingratitude,  then,  with  what  perverseness,  are 
we  chargeable  f  How  multiplied,  and  how  great,  have  been  our 
provocations  !  Shall  wc  persist  in  this  ingratitude,  in  this  per- 
verseness ?  Shall  we  continue  to  multiply  these  provocations? 
Is  it  not  time  to  cease  from  them  ? — Have  any  of  you,  from  time 
to  time,  thought  upon  your  ways,  and  made  some  essays  towarda 
seeking  the  Lord  ?  And  has  your  goodness  been  like  the  morn- 
ing cloud,  and  ike  early  dew,  ivhich passcth  quickly  away  ?  Alas"! 
my  friends,  has  it  not  been  so  with  many  of  you  ?  How  affecting 
the  thought  ?  How  many  precious  seasons  and  opportunities  are 
gone  ?  How  greatly  have  you  dishonoured  God,  and  abused  hi& 
mercy,  in  practically  saying,  It  is  vain  to  serve  God,  and  what 
profit  is  it,  that  toe  have  kept  his  ordinances,  and  have  walked 
mournfidly  before  the  Lord  of  hosts  ?  But  why  did  you  find  it 
unprofitable  ?  Was  it  not  because  you  did  not  sow  in  righteous- 
ness, nor  reap  in  mercy '^ — did  not  break  up  your  fallow  ground^ 
but  sowed  among  thorns,  or  in  stony  places  f  What  then  do  you 
think  of  doing  ?  Will  you  seek  the  Lord  no  more  f  He  will  as- 
suredly, then,  cast  you  off"  forever.  Is  it  not  time  to  seek  him, 
as  you  have  never  before  sought  him  ? — to  seek.him  with  all  your 
heart,  and  ivith  all  your  soid9 — to  seek  him,  till  he  come  and 
bestovv^  his  grace  and  salvation  upon  you  ? — Are  any  of  your 
minds  even  now  excited,  and  upon  anxious  thoughtfulness,  and 
serious  inquiry  ?  O,  then,  how  interesting,  how  important,  how 
critical  is  the  season  !  God  is  present, — his  Spirit  is  striving, — 
his  salvation  is  brought  near.  If  you  neglect  the  opportunity, 
another  so  favourable  may  never  occur.  O,  then,  seek  the  Lord, 
while  he  may  be  found  ;  call  ye  upon  him,  while  he  is  near :  re- 
pent, without  delay,  and  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  you. 

My  young  friends,  God  speaks  directly  and  most  graciously 
to  you.  He  says,  /  love  them  that  love  me,  and  they  that 
SEEK  ME  EARLY  SHALL  FIND  ME  ?  Youth  is,  indeed,  the  spring, 
the  proper  seed  time  of  life.  What  time  so  fit  as  this,  before 
your  habits  are  fixed, — before  your  consciences  are  seared, — 
before  your  hearts  arc  hardened,  past  feeling,  through  the 
deceitfulness  of  sin, — before  your  minds  are  distracted  with 
ivnvldly    cares,   engrossed    with   worldly  pursuits,   enslaved   by 


SERMON    X.  121 

worldly  opinions,  or  intrenched  by  worldly  pride  ?  It  is  time, 
dear  youth  and  children,  it  is  time  for  you  to  seek  the  Lord,  till 
he  come  and  bestow  the  blessings  of  his  grace  upon  you. 

My  friends,  and  beloved  contemporaries,  in  middle  life,  how 
is  it  with  us  ?  Our  spring  is  past.  Have  we  sown  in  righteous- 
ness.'' Are  we  reaping  in  mercy  .^  Or,  having  sown  only  iniquity, 
are  we  now  reaping  vanity.  It  is  the  season,  in  which  we  ought 
to  be  abundant  in  the  fruits  of  righteousness ;  in  which  we  ought 
to  be  doing  much,  not  for  ourselves  only,  but  for  others,  for  the 
honour  of  our  Saviour,  for  the  salvation  of  those  for  whom  he 
died,  for  the  glory  and  kingdom  of  our  God.  Alas  for  us,  if  we 
are  yet  empty  vines ; — if  we  are  yet  standing  idle.  Come,  my 
friends,  and  let  us  return  unto  the  Lord  our  God.  Let  us  make 
no  delay  in  seeking  him,  until  he  come  and  rain  righteousness 
upon  us;  lest  we  soon  have  occasion  mournfully  to  say,  the 
harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is  ended,  and  loe  are  not  saved. 

My  respected  aged  hearers,  the  hoary  head  is  a  crown  of 
glory, — if  it  be  found  in  the  way  of  righteousness.  Happy  for 
you  if  in  early  life,  you  sought  the  Lord  and  found  him ;  and 
now,  in  old  age,  are  reaping  the  fruits  of  his  mercy,  and  are  joy- 
fully looking  forward  to  the  full  haiTest  of  glory  in  his  heavenly 
kingdom.  Can  it  be  that,  even  until  now,  you  have  neglected 
God  and  his  salvation  ;  neglected  your  souls,  and  your  eternal 
interests.  If  this  be  indeed  the  lamentable,  the  appalling  fact, 
with  a  single  individual,  surely  not  a  moment  is  to  be  lost. 
Mercy  is  still  oflered.  O  let  not  that  mercy,  that  long  neglected, 
long  abused  mercy,  be  any  longer  refused. 

My  hearers,  one  and  all,  we  are  every  one  of  us  sowing,  if 
BOt  in  righteousness,  then,  certainly,  in  unrighteousness ;  sowing 
for  future  harvest ;  sowing  for  eternity.  Let  us  hearken  then 
to  a  divine  admonition  :  Be  not  deceived ;  God  is  not  mocked ; 
for  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap.  For  he 
that  soweth  to  his  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption  ;  hut  he 
that  soweth  to  the  Spirit,  shall  of  the  Spirit  reap  life  everlasting. 
And  let  us  not  be  weary  in  well  doing,  for  in  dne  season,  we 
sfiall  reap,  if  we  faint  not. — Amen. 
16 


SERMON  XI. 


THE  GOSPEL  A  PERFECT  LAW  OF  LIBERTY, 


»®« 


James  i.  25. 

Bui  whoso  looketh  into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty^  and  continueth  there- 
in, he,  being  not  a  forgetful  hearer,  but  a  doer  of  the  work,  this  man 
shall  be  blessed  in  his  deed. 

X  HERE  is  a  propensity  in  mankind  always  to  be  in  extremes. 
Tliis  propensity  very  often  shows  itself  in  matters  of  religion ; 
and  a  remarkable  and  instructive  instance  of  it  is  referred  to  in 
the  text. 

The  Jews  had  long  been  accustomed  to  trust  in  their  own 
supposed  righteousness,  or  in  their  external  observances  of  the 
law,  for  justification  unto  eternal  life.  This  general  and  invete- 
rate errour  was  a  principal  hindrance  to  their  reception  of  the 
gospel ;  and  to  correct  it,  and  remove  it  out  of  the  way,  great 
pains  were  necessary.  The  apostle  Paul,  especially,  made  it  a 
subject  of  very  particular  attention.  In  his  epistles  to  the  gen- 
tile churches,  he  took  great  care  to  expose  the  errour  of  the 
judaizing  teachers,  and  to  explain  and  establish  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith,  ivithout  the  deeds  of  the  law.  His  epistles 
were  powerful,  and  had  great  and  extensive  effect;  but,  by 
many,  his  doctrine  was  misapprehended  and  perverted.  Many, 
especially,  of  tiie  Jews,  who  had  professed  Christianity,  when 
prevailed  on  to  relinquish  the  notion  of  justification  by  the  deeds 


SERMON  XI  123 

of  the  law,  veered  directly  into  the  opposite  extreme.  Not  un- 
derstanding the  nature  of  that  faith  which  worJceth  by  love,  and 
the  legitimate  fruits  of  which  will  always  be  unto  holiness ;  they 
adopted  the  notion,  that  a  merely  historical  faith  in  the  gospel, 
a  faith  which  has  no  holiness,  either  in  its  nature  or  in  its  fruits, 
is  sufficient  for  justification  ;  and,  from  placing  their  whole  reli- 
ance on  good  works,  they  turned  to  regard  good  works  as  wholly 
unnecessary  in  religion. 

To  this  perversion  of  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith, 
i\ithout  the  deeds  of  the  law,  the  apostle  Peter  seems  to  have 
reference,  where  he  says  there  are  some  things,  in  the  epistles 
of  Paul,  hard  to  be  understood,  which  they  that  arc  unlearned 
and  unstable  rest,  as  they  do  also  the  other  scriptures,  unto  their 
own  destruction.  To  correct  this  errour,  the  apostles  of  the 
circumcision  found  it  necessary  to  exert  themselves.  "A  wick- 
ed opinion,"  says  St.  Augustine,  "having  sprung  up,  even  in  the 
apostles'  days,  by  misunderstanding  Paul's  arguments, 'Peter, 
John,  James,  and  Jude,  aimed,  in  their  epistles,  principally  to 
this  end,  to  vindicate  the  doctrine  of  Paul  from  the  false  conse- 
quences charged  upon  it,  and  to  show  that  faith,  without  works, 
is  notliing  wortli.  But  indeed  Paul  does  not  speak  of  faith  at 
large,  but  only  of  that  living,  fruitful,  and  evangelical  faith,  which, 
he  himself  says,  worketh  by  love.  As  for  that  faith  void  of  good 
works,  which  these  men  thought  sufficient  to  salvation,  he  de- 
clares positively  against  it."  After  mentioning  what  Peter  says 
of  some  passages  of  his  brother  Paul  being  wrested,  this  ancient 
father  further  observes,  that  "Peter  calls  it  wres^j/io-,  because 
Paul  was,  in  truth,  of  the  same  opinion  with  the  other  apostles, 
and  held  eternal  life  impossible  to  be  obtained  by  any  faith, 
which  had  not  the  attestation  of  a  holy  fife."  Augustine's  view 
of  this  subject  was  unquestionably  correct.  There  certainly 
was  no  difference  in  doctrine,  on  this  great  point,  between  Pr.ul 
and  the  other  apostles.  But  Paul  wrote  with  tlie  express  de- 
sign of  exploding  the  erroneous  notion  of  justification  by  the 
deeds  of  the  law,  and  to  establish  the  doctrine  of  justificatioii  by 
faith.  The  other  apostles  wrote  with  a  view  to  correct  a  mis- 
understanding and  perversion  of  this  doctrine  ;  nnd  to  ?\w\\  thn! 


124  SERMON   XL 

a  true  justifying  faith  is  always  accompanied  and  attested  by 
good  works.  Hence  tlie  diflerenoe  between  them,  in  their 
modes  of  expression  on  this  general  subject,  by  which  some, 
even  to  this  day,  have  been  led  to  suppose  that,  between  James, 
particularly,  and  Paul,  there  was  a  real  difference  in  doctrine. 

Writing  with  the  view  now  explained,  after  some  introductory 
observations,  relating  to  the  persecutions  and  severe  trials,  to 
which  the  professors  of  Christianity  were  at  that  time  subjected, 
our  apostle  introduces,  in  a  very  skilful  manner,  his  main  subject. 
Do  not  err,  my  beloved  brethren,  he  says ;  every  good  gift,  and 
every  perfect  gift  is  from  above,  and  cometh  down  from  the  Fa- 
ther of  lights,  uiith  whom  is  no  variableness,  neither  shadow  of 
turning.  The  gospel,  therefore,  which  is  from  him,  could  not 
be  designed  to  supersede  the  necessity  of  a  holy  life.  Accord- 
ingly, of  his  own  mil  begat  he  us,  by  the  ivord  of  truth,  that  we 
should  be  a  kind  of  first  fruits  of  his  creatures  ;  that  is,  a  pe- 
culiar people,  zealous  of  good  works.  Wherefore,  my  beloved 
brethren,  let  every  man  be  swift  to  hear,  slow  to  speak,  slow  to 
wrath  ;  swift  to  hear  instruction,  advice,  and  reproof,  slow  to 
speak  in  reply  to  what  he  hears,  until  he  has  well  considered  it ; 
and  slow  to  wrath,  on  account  of  any  thing  which  may  not  agree 
with  his  own  views  or  feelings.  For  the  wrath  of  man,  or  that 
hasty  and  angry  spirit,  which  is  too  often  mistaken  for  the  pure 
fervour  of  rehgious  zeal,  worketh  not  the  righteousness  of  God. 
From  these  cautions  of  the  apostle,  we  are  led  to  conclude  that, 
in  regard  to  the  subject  he  was  thus  introducing,  there  was  much 
of  a  wrong  temper,  and  a  mistaken  zeal ;  much  of  a  spirit  ad- 
verse to  a  fair  and  candid  attention  to  the  truth.  Hence,  he 
proceeds  to  say,  TVJierefore,  lay  apart  all  filthiness,  and  super- 
fluity of  naughtiness,  or  overflowing  of  malignity,  and  receive 
with  MEEKNESS,  tlie  ingrafted,  or  implanted  tvord,  which  is  able 
to  save  your  souls.  Having  prepared  the  way,  by  this  admirable 
introduction,  the  apostle  comes  directly  to  the  point.  But,  be  ye 
doers  of  the  ivord,  says  he,  and  not  hearers  only,  deceiving  your- 
selves ;  or,  according  to  the  force  of  the  original  expression,  de- 
luding yourselves  sophistically,  or  by  false  reasoning  ;  that  is,  in 
making  yourselves  beheve  that  the  doing  of  the  word,  or  a  good 


SERMON  XI.  125 

life,  is  not  necessary.  For,  continues  the  apostle,  if  any  he  a 
hearer  of  the  tvord,  and  not  a  doer,  he  is  like  unto  a  man  behold- 
ing his  natural  face  in  a  glass  ;  for  he  beholdeth  himself,  and 
goeth  his  toay,  and  straightway  forgetteth  xvhat  manner  of  man 
he  was.  But  ivhoso  looketh  into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty,  and 
continueth  therein,  he,  being  not  a  forgetfid  hearer,  but  a  doer  of 
the  work,  this  man  shall  be  blessed  in  his  deed. 

By  the  law  of  liberty  the  apostle  undoubtedly  means  the  will 
of  God,  as  revealed  in  his  word  ;  especially,  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
Elsewhere,  the  gospel  is  called  the  laiv  of  faith.  Here  it  is 
called  the  law  of  liberty,  probably  in  allusion  to  that  freedom 
from  the  law  of  works,  which  the  abusers  of  it  supposed  it  to 
proclaim.  Those  who  have  a  living  faith  arc  here  contrasted 
with  those  who  have  only  a  dead  faith.  The  latter  are  like  a 
man  who  just  looks  into  a  glass,  but  goes  away,  and  soon  forgets 
what  he  had  there  seen.  They  hear  the  gospel,  and  give  their 
assent  to  it,  but  do  not  make  it  their  concern  to  have  their  hearts 
and  lives  conformed  to  its  holy  doctrines  and  precepts.  But,  he 
who  has  a  living  faith,  is  represented  as  earnestly  bending  down, 
TO  look  into  the  gospel  with  great  attention,  and  continuing  in  this 
posture;  being  not  a  forgetful  hearer,  but  a  doer  of  the  work, 
which  the  gospel  requires.  This  man,  it  is  affirmed,  is  blessed 
in  his  deed  ;  is  happy  in  what  he  does. 

Having  taken  this  general  view  of  the  text,  in  its  connection, 
your  attention  will  now  be  directed,  more  particularly,  to  its 
several  parts.     It  is  proposed,  therefore,  to  consider, 

I.  The  gospel,  as  ^perfect  law  of  liberty. 

II.  That  attention  to  the  gospel,  which  is  described  in  the 
text.     And, 

III.  The  happiness  enjoyed  by  those  who  give  this  attention. 

I.  Let  us  consider  the  gospel  as  a  perfect  law  of  liberty. 

According  to  ancient  prophecy,  the  divine  x\uthor  of  the  gos- 
pel was  anointed  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the  meek  ;  and  was 
sent  to  bind  up  the  broken  hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  cap- 
tives, and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  hound.  It 
is  a  melancholy  truth,  that  mankind  are  naturally  in  this  misera- 
ble condition.     They  are  captives,   prisoners,  bound  in  chains; 


i2C)  SERMON  XI. 

They  are  in  Loud  age  to  sin,  to  the  world,  to  Satan  ;  r.ncl  they  are 
prisoners,  also,  to  divine  justice,  holden  under  the  condemnation 
of  the  divine  law.  Yes,  they  are  sinners,  under  the  tyranny  of 
tlieir  own  evil  passions  and  lusts,  enslaved  to  the  world,  led  cap- 
tive by  Satan  at  his  will,  condemned  by  the  righteous  law  of 
God,  and  liable  to  be  consigned  to  the  woful  prison  of  eternal 
darkness  and  despair.  It  is  in  this  wretched  state  that  the  gos- 
pel fmds  them ;  and  from  this  state  it  proffers  complete  deliver- 
ance. It  proclaims  to  them,  indeed,  tlie  most  perfect  liberty, 
even  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God. 

It  offers  them  a  plenary  pardon  of  sin,  and  thus  to  set  them 
free  from  the  penalty  of  the  divine  law,  and  from  the  terrors  of  • 
eternal  justice  ;  to  reconcile  them  to  God,  to  restore  them  to  the 
enjoyment  of  his  favour  and  love,  and  to  give  them  free  access 
to  him,  as  his  sons  and  his  daughters.  It  presents  to  them  grace, 
to  subdue  their  native  enmity,  and  their  evil  passic'is  and  lusts ; 
to  recover  them  to  the  due  exercise  of  their  nobler  faculties ;  to 
j)urge  their  consciences  fi-om  dead  works  to  serve  the  living  God; 
and  thus  to  give  them  freedom  from  the  guilty  bondage  of  sin. 
It  proposes  to  emancipate  them  from  the  slavery  of  the  world, 
and  the  captivity  of  Satan,  by  the  power  of  that  faith  which 
allays  the  violence  of  fire,  stops  the  mouths  of  hons,  turns  the 
edge  of  the  sword,  and  quencher  the  fiery  dai'ts  of  the  wicked 
one  ;  which  chooses  rather  to  suffer  affliction  loith  the  people  of 
God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season;  and  esteems 
the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  of  the 
Indies ;  which  scorns  to  purchase  the  world's  bawblcs  at  the 
world's  price,  contemns  the  frowns  and  the  flatteries  of  earth  and 
hell,  and  fixes  for  its  portion,  on  durable  riches  and  righteous- 
ness, in  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  God.  In  a  word,  so  com- 
-plete  is  the  libeUy,  winch  the  gospel  offers  to  men,  that  there  is 
no  condemnation,  no  slavery,  no  bondage  to  those  who  yield  to 
its  gracious  proposals ;  but  they,  lohom  the  Son,  the  glorious  Au- 
thor of  the  gospel,  makes  free,  are  free  indeed. 

The  gospel,  however,  is  not  simply  a  proclamation ;  it  is, 
also,  a  laio.  It  is  a  law,  because  it  is  an  expression  of  the  will 
of  God,  which  is  alv/ays  the  siiprcme  law  of  the  universe.     It  is 


SERMON   XL  12r 

a  lam  of  liberiy,  because  it  is  an  expression  of  the  will  of  God, 
respecting  the  emancipation  of  our  sinful,  enslaved,  and  con- 
<leinned  race,  and  because  all,  who  comply  with  it,  are,  in  the 
highest  sense,  made  free. 

As  a  LAW  of  liberty,  the  gospel  expressly  prescribes  the  kind 
of  freedom,  which  it  proposes  to  men,  and  the  way  in  which  thi? 
freedom  is  to  be  obtained ;  recognizes  the  moral  law,  as  the  rukv 
of  moral  practice  ;  and  speaks  with  authority,  in  the  language  of 
command. 

1.  The  gospel,  as  a  law  of  liberty,  prescribes  the  freedom, 
which  it  proposes  to  men,  and  the  way  in  which  it  may  be  ob- 
tained. 

The  liberty,  which  the  gospel  proclaims,  is  not  a  liberty  to 
continue  in  sin,  but,  a  freedom  from  the  guilt  and  the  dominion 
of  sin  ;  not  a  liberty  to  continue  in  slavery  to  the  world,  but  an 
emancipation  from  this  slavery ;  not  a  liberty  to  continue  in 
captivity  to  Satan,  but  a  deliverance  from  this  captivity ;  not  a 
release  from  the  obligations  of  the  moral  law,  but  a  discharge 
from  its  penalty.  In  a  word,  it  is  not  a  sinful,  but  a  holy  liberty ;. 
not  a  release  from  the  service  of  God,  but  a  perfect  freedom  in^ 
his  service. 

The  way,  which  the  gospel  prescribes,  in  vvhicli  this  liberty 
is  to  be  obtained,  is  summarily,  the  way  of  repentance  towards^ 
God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  gospel,  indeed,, 
is  called  the  law  of  faith;  because  faith,  or  a  cordial  belief  in  the 
truth  of  God,  and  a  penitent  and  unreserved  trust  in  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ,  for  all  the  purposes  of  salvation,  is  its  grand  and 
distinguishing  requirement.  Nor  is  there  any  other  way,  in- 
vehich  die  hberty  proposed  in  the  gospel,  can  be  obtained- 
There  is  no  other  way,  in  which  men  can  be  released  from  the 
condemnation  of  the  moral  law,  than  by  repentance  of  sin,  and 
an  acceptance,  by  faith,  of  the  atonement  made  for  sin,  by  tlie: 
blood  of  the  Saviour.  There  is  no  other  way,  in  which  they 
can  be  delivered  from  the  dominion,  or  from  the  guilt  of  sin, 
from  the  thraldom  of  the  world,  or  from  the  bondage  of  the  re- 
bellious god  of  this  world.  It  is  the  uniform  language  of  the 
gospel,  that  he  who  believeth  not  is  still  under  condemnation : 


l28  SERMON   XL 

and  that  it  is  faith,  which   secures  the  pardon  oi'  sin,   and  gives 
the  victory  over  sin,  the  world,  and  Satan. 

2.  The  gospel,  as  a  law  of  liberty,  distinctly  recognizes, 
and  in  an  important  sense  even  includes  in  itself,  tlie  moral  law, 
as  the  rule  of  moral  duty;  the  rule  to  be  observed  by  all,  who 
would  enjoy  true  liberty. 

Do  ive  make  void  the  law  through  faith'?  God  forbid,  says 
the  apostle  Paul ;  yea,  we  establish  the  law.  And  says  James, 
faith  without  luorks  is  dead.  A  faith,  which  produces  no  good 
works,  and  does  not  show  itself  in  a  life  and  conversation  con- 
formable to  the  requirements  of  the  law,  is  not  the  true  faith  of 
the  gospel.  It  is  true,  the  gospel  supersedes  the  law  as  a  rule  of 
justification ;  but  it  honours  and  confirms  the  law,  as  a  rule  for 
the  government  of  the  heart  and  life  ;  and  it  is  only  in  a  temper 
and  practice  conformed  to  this  rule,  that  the  liberty  of  tlie  gospel 
can  be  enjoyed. 

3.  The  gospel,  as  a  law  of  liberty,  is  itself  clothed  with  au- 
thority. 

Where  the  word  of  a  king  is,  there  is  power.  The  gospel  is 
the  word  of  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords  ;  and  it  speaks 
with  supreme  authority.  It  not  only  offers  men  liberty ;  but  it 
commands  them  to  be  free.  It  not  only  offers  them  the  pardon 
of  sin,  and  release  from  the  penalty  of  the  law ;  but  it  com- 
mands them  to  accept  this  pardon  and  release,  on  the  offered 
terms.  It  not  only  offers  to  deliver  them  from  the  thraldom  of 
sin,  of  the  world,  and  of  Satan ;  but  it  commands  them,  also,  to 
accept  the  offered  deliverance,  to  assert  and  maintain  their  holy 
freedom,  and  no  longer  to  be  vassals,  captives,  slaves,  but  the 
free  children  of  God.  All  this  it  commands,  with  the  authority 
of  God ;  and  its  commands  are  enforced  with  the  most  awful 
.sanctions.  On  the  one  hand,  are  glory,  honour,  and  peace,  in 
tiie  everlasting  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  on  the  other  hand,  indigna- 
tion and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish  forever. 

So  evident  it  is,  my  brethren,  that  the  gospel  is  not  merely  a 
proclamation  of  liberty,  but,  also,  a  law  of  liberty.  Nor  is  this 
iiU ;  but,  as  a  law  of  liberty,  it  is  perfect.  In  the  text,  it  is  called 
the  PERFECT  law  of  liberty.      The  Mosaic  law,  as  the  apostle  to 


SERMON   XL  129 

the  Hebrews  says,  made  nothing  perfcrA ;  hut  the  bringing  in  of 
a  better  hope  did.  The  Mosaic  dispensation,  uideed,  was  a 
shadow  of  good  things  to  come^  and  received  its  completion  in 
the  gospel.  This  last  dispensation  is  perfect.  Nothing  is  to  be 
taken  from  it;  nothing  is  to  be  added  to  it.  As  a  laiv  of  liberty 
the  gospel  is  perfect,  because  the  liberty  which  it  proposes  is  per- 
fect ;  the  way,  which  it  prescribes  for  obtaining  this  liberty,  is 
perfect ;  the  rule  to  be  observed,  for  the  enjoyment  of  it,  is 
perfect;  and  the  sanctions,  by  which  it  is  enforced,  are  perfect. 
All  who  comply  with  the  gospel  will  attain  to  the  highest  per- 
fection of  dignity  and  happiness ;  while  all  who  refuse  must  sink 
to  the  utmost  perfection  of  debasement  and  misery. — We  are, 

II.  To  consider  that  attention  to  the  gospel,  which  the  text 
describes. 

Whoso  looketh  into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty,  and  continueth 
therein,  being  not  a  forgetful  hearer,  but  a  doer  of  the  work. 

The  original  word  here  rendered  looketh,  is  peculiarly  em- 
phatical.  It  signifies  to  bend  down  with  earnest  attention;  and 
is  the  same  word  which  is  used  by  the  apostle  Peter,  where, 
speaking  of  the  things  of  the  gospel,  he  says,  which  things  the 
angels  desired  to  look  into.  Thus  the  man,  whom  the  apostle, 
in  our  text,  pronounces  blessed  in  his  deed,  looks  into  the  gospel 
with  earnestness ;  and  this,  not  for  a  moment,  or  an  hour,  only, 
but  continually.  He  is  not  satisfied  wnth  casting  a  transient 
glance  at  the  gospel,  like  the  man  who,  for  a  moment,  beholds 
his  natural  face  in  a  glass  ;  but,  from  day  to  day,  and  through 
life,  he  perseveres  in  his  earnest  attention  to  this  perfect  law  of 
liberty.  Convinced  that,  in  the  gospel,  and  in  the  gospel  only, 
the  way  of  eternal  salvation  is  revealed  and  described,  he  feels 
the  deepest  interest  in  it ;  and  he  looks  into  it,  with  the  greatest 
diligence  and  care,  that  he  may  not  fail  rightly  to  understand  it. 
He  looks  into  it,  that  he  may  know  what  is  truth  ;  that  he  may 
increase  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  of  his  will ;  and  that  he 
may  attain  to  clearer  and  more  enlaiged  views  of  the  glorious 
economy  of  redeeming  wisdom  and  grace.  He  looks  into  it,  as 
into  a  glass,  that  he  may  see  and  know  what  manner  of  person 
he  himself  is ;  that  he  may  discover  the  nlasrue  of  his  own  heart, 
17 


13U  SERMON   XI. 

and  the  turpitude  of  sin  ;  that  he  may  ascei-lain  whether  he  has 
any  conformity  to  God,  his  truth,  and  his  will,  and  any  reason 
for  the  confidence,  that  his  sins  are  forgiven,  and  his  hope  of 
salvation  well  founded;  and  that  he  may  discern  wherein  he 
conies  short  of  what  is  required  of  him,  what  parts  of  his  temper 
and  practice  are  faulty,  and  in  what  respects,  and  by  what  means, 
he  may  improve  in  the  divine  life.  He  looks  into  it,  in  fine, 
that  he  may  receive  the  impressions  of  its  holy  doctrines  and 
precepts  deep  in  his  heart ;  to  promote  his  sanctification,  to  pre- 
serve him  in  the  love  and  fear  of  God,  to  secure  him  against  sin, 
errour,  and  temptation,  to  guide  and  quicken  him  in  the  way  of 
duty,  to  give  him  support  and  confidence  in  his  trials,  and  to 
increase  his  joy  and  peace  in  believing. 

Looking  thus  dihgently  and  perseveringly,  and  for  such  pur- 
poses, into  this  perfect  law  of  liberty,  he  is  not  a  forgetful  hearer, 
but  a  doer  of  the  work.  He  is  concerned,  not  merely  to  hear 
and  know  what  the  gospel  is ;  but,  also,  to  do  what  the  gospel 
requires.  In  obedience  to  the  gospel,  he  repents  of  his  sins, 
and,  with  a  deep  conviction  of  their  evil  and  hateful  nature, 
turns  from  them  unto  God.  In  obedience  to  the  gospel,  he  be- 
lieves in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Tenderly  conscious  of  his 
great  sinfulness,  and  of  his  utter  inability  to  make  expiation  for 
his  guilt,  or  to  give  to  God  a  ransom  for  his  soul ;  and  fully  per- 
suaded, by  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  that  Christ  is  the  only 
Saviour,  and  all-sufficient  for  the  purposes  of  salvation  ;  he  hum- 
bly and  gratefully  receives  him,  and  trusts  in  him.  He  receives 
him,  and  trusts  in  him,  with  that  faith  which  worketh  by  love  ; 
and  which,  therefore,  influences  him  to  walk  in  newness  of  life. 
Having  the  love  of  God  sbed  abroad  in  his  heart,  he  esteems  all 
the  divine  precepts  concerning  all  things  to  he  right ;  and  his 
daily  concern  and  study  is,  to  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  to  glorify  God  more 
and  more  on  earth,  and  to  be  advancing  in  preparation  for  the 
endless  enjoyment  of  him  in  heaven.  Such,  my  brethren,  is  a 
concise  and  very  imperfect  view  of  that  attention  to  the  gospel, 
which  is  so  emphatically  described  in  the  text.     We  are,  now. 


SERMON   XI.  131 

III.  To  consider,  very  briefly,  the  happiness  to  be  found 
in  it. 

7^his  man,  says  the  apostle,  is  blessed,  is  happy,  in  his  deed. 
In  his  deed  ;  happy,  not  merely  on  account  ol  what  he  docs  ; 
but,  to  express  it  in  the  force  of  the  original,  happy  in  the  very 
doing. 

He  is  happy  in  earnestly  hearing  and  looking  into  the  gos- 
pel ;  for,  like  David,  he  finds  the  divine  word  sweeter  to  him 
than  honey,  and  the  honey  comb,  and  more  precious  than  all 
earthly  treasures.  He  is  happy  in  perceiving,  with  increasing 
clearness,  and  extent  of  view,  the  harmony  and  beauty  of  divine 
truth,  the  excellency  and  glory  of  the  great  plan  of  redemption, 
and  the  discoveries  made  in  it  of  all  the  perfections  of  God. 
He  is  happy  in  learning,  not  the  excellency  of  the  doctrines  of 
the  gospel  only,  but,  also,  the  purity  and  perfection  of  its  pre- 
cepts, and  the  nature  of  that  liberty,  into  which  it  calls  once  sin- 
ful and  enslaved  men,  and  which  can  be  enjoyed  only  in  obedi- 
ence to  its  directions.  He  is  happy  in  surveying,  by  the  help 
which  the  gospel  affords,  that  inheritance  which  is  incorruptible, 
and  undejiled,  and  which  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for 
those  who  are  kept,  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith,  unto 
salvation.  And,  beholding  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  glory 
of  God,  he  is  happy  in  feeling  his  divine  influences,  those  beams 
of  his  glory,  which  are  healing  and  vivifying  to  the  soul,  chang- 
ing it  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  unto  glory,  and  filling  it 
with  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  understanding. 

As  this  man  is  happy,  in  thus  earnestly  looking  into  the  gos- 
pel, he  is  happy,  also,  in  doing  what  the  gospel  directs.  He 
fmds  happiness  in  turning,  penitently,  from  sin  unto  God ;  happi- 
ness, in  believing  in  the  truth,  and  trusting  in  the  Saviour;  and 
happiness,  in  obeying  his  precepts,  and  observing  his  institutions. 
He  finds,  by  joyous  experience,  that  Christ's  yoke  is  easy,  and 
his  burden  light ;  that  his  ways  are  pleasantness,  and  his  paths 
peace  ;  and  that  in  keeping  his  commandments  there  is  great 
rexoard.  He  finds  that  the  gospel  is,  indeed,  a  perfect  law  of 
liberty ;  that,  when  obeyed,  it  confers  a  gloiious  freedom  from 
the  terrors  of  the  judgment  to  come,  from  the  dominion  cS  sin. 


132  SERMON  XL 

and  from  the  thraldom  of  the  world  and  of  Satan  ;  a  freedora^ 
infinitely  surpassing  all  which  the  world  calls  liberty,  and  suited 
to  the  dignity  of  the  sons  of  God.  In  this  liberty,  while  doing 
the  work  of  the  gospel,  he  daily  rejoices,  and,  with  the  poet, 
can  daily  sing, 

"  He  is  a  freeman,  whom  Ihe  truth  makes  free, 
And  all  are  slaves  beside." 

He  rejoices,  also,  in  the  testimony  of  his  conscience,  that,  in 
simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  not  by  fleshly  ivisdom,  hut  by  the 
grace  of  God,  he  has  his  conversation  m  the  world.  He  is  happy 
in  the  tokens  he  receives  of  the  approving  favour  of  God,  who 
lifts  upon  him,  from  time  to  time,  the  light  of  his  countenance, 
and  gives  him  the  earnest  of  his  future  inheritance,  in  the  sealing 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise.  And  he  is  happy  in 
feeling  that  this  is  not  his  home,  that. his  present  life  is  only  a 
pilgrimage  through  this  world  to  a  better,  that  his  sufferings  here 
are  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory  which  shall  be 
revealed  in  him  hereafter,  and  that  to  dwell  with  God  in  his 
heavenly  kingdom  forever,  will  be  the  perfection  of  happiness. 
Thus  happy,  my  brethren,  is  the  man,  who  looks,  intensely  and 
perseveringly,  into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty,  being  not  a  forgetful 
hearer,  hut  a  doer  of  the  work. 

It  only  remains,  that  the  subject  be  improved  in  the  way  of 
application. 

1.  On  a  review  of  this  subject,  we  cannot  avoid  the  reflec- 
tion, that,  by  very  many,  exceedingly  erroneous  ideas  of  the 
gospel  are  entertained. 

By  many,  it  would  seem,  the  gospel  is  regarded,  not  as  a 
LAW  of  liberty,  but  as  a  mere  proclamation  of  liberty,  without 
law.  Are  there  not  indeed  many,  who  turn  the  grace  of  God 
into  licentiousness,  and,  from  a  very  vague  idea  of  the  gospel, 
hold  themselves  at  hberty  to  continue  in  sin,  or  not,  to  devote 
themselves  to  the  world,  or  not,  to  yield  themselves  the  willing 
captives  of  Satan,  or  not,  just  as  they  please  ^  Are  there  not 
others,  who,  although  they  do  not  go  all  this  length,  yet  imagine 
that  the  liberty  proclaimed  in  the  gospel  may  be  obtained  in  very 
different  ways ;    (hat,  indeed,  the  salvation,  which  the  gospel 


SERMON  XL  133 

ftfTers,  may  be  had  in  almost  any  way,  which  men  may  clioose  ? 
And  are  there  not  others  still,  who,  while  they  acknowledge  faith 
to  be  necessary,  in  the  great  concern  of  salvation,  yet  entertain 
a  very  erroneous  notion  of  that  faith,  which  the  gospel  requires ; 
Bot  including  in  it  that  vital  principle,  that  holy  love,  which  is 
always  productive  of  good  works? 

Thai  eiToncous  views,  such  as  now  hinted,  are  common,  is 
not  to  be  doubted ;  and  a  melancholy,  but  natural  consequence 
of  them  is,  that  many  deceive  themselves  with  groundless  hopes 
of  salvation.  Many,  it  is  to  be  feared,  imagine  that  they  have 
the  faith  of  the  gospel,  while  they  have  scarcely  even  a  specula- 
tive Lehefin  divine  truth;  scarcely  even  that  faith,  which, being 
without  works,  is  dead.  Many  fondly  flatter  themselves  that 
they  arc  in  the  liberty  of  the  gospel,  while,  in  fact,  they  are  the 
se7'vants  of  corruption,  and  ignorant  of  the  very  nature  of  that 
liberty,  which  the  gospel  presents,  and  of  the  way,  in  which  only 
it  is  to  be  obtained.     Such  self-deception  is  truly  melancholy. 

What  doth  it  profit,  my  brethren,  though  a  man  say  he  hath 
faith,  and  have  not  works'^  Can  faith  save  him?  No  ;  the  faith, 
which  is  not  productive  of  good  works,  cannot  save  any  one. 
And  it  is  utterly  vain  for  people  to  pretend  to  the  faith  of  the 
gospel,  while,  in  their  lives,  they  exhibit  none  of  its  genuine 
fruits.  The  gospel  is  a  perfect  law  of  liberty.  The  freedom, 
which  it  offers,  is  holy,  and  the  way  of  obtaining  it  is  holy;  and 
until,  by  a  living  faith,  a  faith  which  worketh  by  love,  and,  by 
taking  hold  on  strength,  breaks  the  chains  of  sin,  of  the  world, 
and  of  Satan,  men  .are  brought  into  this  glorious  liberty  of  the 
sons  of  God,  they  have  no  part  in  Christ,  nor  any  good  hope  of 
salvation. 

2.  We  are  led  to  consider  the  reason,  why  people  receive, 
as  often  they  do,  but  little  benefit  from  the  gospel. 

To  such  as  entertain  the  erroneous  notions,  considered  under 
the  former  article,  it  is  unquestionably  true,  that  the  gospel  has 
been  of  but  little  benefit.  Nor  is  it,  perhaps,  less  evidently  true 
of  many  others.  How  many,  indeed,  there  are,  in  lands  favour- 
ed with  the  gospel ;  how  many  in  every  place,  wlio  give  no  evi- 
dence that  thev  have  been  broutrht  into  the  libertv  of  the  child- 


TJl  SERMON  XL 

Ten  of  God.  They  have  been  sitting,  all  their  days,  under  the 
dispensation  of  the  gospel ;  yet  they  have  not  been  turned  from 
from  sin  unto  holiness;  have  never  savingly  embraced  the  truth  ; 
have  not  been  made  wise  unto  salvation.  One  principal  reason 
of  this,  our  subject  sets  in  a  very  clear  light.  If  they  have  even 
been  hearers  of  the  u'orc/,  they  have  been  hearers  only, — -forgetful 
hearers.  As  represented  in  tlie  context,  they  are  like  unto  a 
man  beholding  his  natural  face  in  a  glass  ;  who  behold  eth  himself, 
and  goeth  his  way,  and  straight  icay  forgetteth  what  manner  of 
man  he  was.  They  have  not  looked  into  the  perfect  law  ofliher- 
iy,  with  a  hearty  and  strong  desire  rightly  to  understand  it,  and 
with  a  due  concern  to  be,  not  hearers  only,  but  doers  of  the  work. 
It  is  true,  that,  though  Paul  may  plant,  and  Apollos  water, 
God  alone  can  give  tlie  increase ;  and  that  no  attention  of  ours, 
without  the  accompanying  influences  of  the  divine  Spirit,  will 
avail  to  our  saving  knowledge  and  acknowledgment  of  the  truth. 
But  beware,  my  hearers,  that  you  do  not  excuse  yourselves  on 
this  ground.  Bewave,  t.'iat  you  do  not  lay  off  the  blame  of  your 
not  being  benefited  by  the  gospel  upon  God.  If  such  is,  indeed, 
the  ahenation  of  your  hearts  from  God,  from  his  truth,  and  from 
that  liberty  wherewith  Christ  would  make  you  free,  that  nothing 
short  of  divine  power  and  grace  can  bring  you  to  a  cordial  ac- 
ceptance of  the  gospel ;  let  a  conviction  of  this  truth  sink  deep 
into  your  minds,  and  induce  you  immediately  to  cease  from  your 
carelessness  and  indifference,  and  to  apply,  with  earnestness,  to 
the  great  concern  of  your  salvation.  Surely,  if  you  are  depend- 
ent on  the  grace  of  God,  on  the  influences  of  die  Holy  Spirit, 
for  that  faith,  without  which  you  cannot  be  saved,  diis,  instead  of 
affording  you  an  excuse  for  negligence,  is  a  reason  why  you 
should  give  the  more  earnest  heed  to  the  gospel.  Because  you 
are  dependent  on  divine  grace,  will  you  therefore,  treat  this 
grace  with  indifference  and  contempt.^  Because  you  are  de- 
pendent on  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  must  absolutely  perish  in  your 
sins,  if  he  do  not  grant  you  his  renovating  influences,  will  you, 
therefore,  by  a  disrespectful  and  perverse  inattention  to  the  in- 
structions and  warnings  of  his  word,  weaiy  out  his  patience,  and 
iirovoke   him  utterly  to   depai't  from  von  ?    Would  not  this  be 


SERMON    XI.  I3:i 

madness?  Hearken,  then,  I  beseech  you ;  for  it  is  the  voice  of 
eternal  Wisdom.  Unto  you,  O  men  I  call ;  and  my  voice  is  to 
the  sons  of  men.  O  ye  simple,  understand  ivisdom  ;  and  ye  fools, 
be  ye  of  an  understanding  heart.  Hear  instruction,  and  be  wise, 
and  refuse  it  not.  Blessed  is  the  man  that  heareth  me,  watching 
daily  at  my  gates,  u-aiting  at  the  posts  of  my  doors.  For  whoso 
findeth  me  fmdeth  life,  and  shall  obtain  favour  of  the  Lord.  But 
he  that  sinneth  against  me  wrongeth  his  own  soul ;  all  they  that 
hate  me  love  death. 

3.  Our  subject  speaks  to  christians  in  the  language,  at  once, 
of  reproof  and  of  encouragement. 

It  speaks  to  them  in  the  language  of  reproof;  because,  as 
they  cannot  but  see,  they  fall  far  short  of  what  it  teaches  them 
they  might  and  should  be.  Where  is  the  person  among  you,  my 
brethren,  who  visibly  and  clearly  answers  to  the  description  of 
the  man,  whom  the  ter-t  pronounces  blessed  in  his  deed'?  Where 
is  the  person,  who  looks,  with  earnest  attention,  into  the  perfect 
law  of  liberty,  and  continueth  dius  to  do,  being  not  a  forgetful 
hearer,  but  a  doer  of  the  work  ?  My  bredn-en,  is  there  not,  iii 
diis  respect,  great  and  most  lamentable  deficiency  ^  If  it  be  true^ 
that  Uiey  who  are  made  free  from  sin,  and  are  become  the  ser- 
vants of  God,  have  their  fruit  unto  holiness,  are  not  even  chris- 
tians greatly  wanting  in  the  proof  which  they  exhibit  of  having 
been  brought  into  diis  glorious  liberty  ?  If  dieir  faith  is  to  be 
tested  by  their  works,  where  is  the  clear,  the  satisfactory,  the 
incontestable  evidence,  that  their  faith  is  not  dead  ?  It  is  melan- 
choly indeed,  diat  in  their  lives  and  conversation,  christians,  in 
general,  answer  so  little  to  the  description  given  of  saints  in  the 
word  of  God ;  and  the  consideration  should  deeply  humble  the 
heart  of  every  professor. 

But,  christians,  the  subject  speaks  to  you,  also,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  encouragement ;  for  it  directs  you  how  you  may  groio 
in  grace,  in  knowledge,  and  in  holiness,  and  shows  you  Avhat 
blessedness  you  may  assuredly  find  in  the  work  of  the  gospel. 
This  blessedness,  you  have,  1  trust,  in  a  degree,  already  experi- 
enced. If  you  are  really  christians,  you  must  knov/  something 
of  that  freedom,  which  the  gospel  offers  to  moM ;  hut,  certainly., 


li3o  SERMON    XI. 

you  can  have  enjoyed  the  happiness  of  it  only  when  you  have 
lived,  in  some  good  measure,  as  the  gospel  directs.  The  gospel 
is  a  perfect  law  of  liberty  ;  and,  that  you  may  enjoy  the  liberty, 
you  must  obey  the  law.  You  must  earnestly  look  into  it ;  you 
must  continue  earnestly  looking  into  it ;  and  must  be,  not  forget- 
ful hearers,  hut  doers  of  the  work.  Wherefore,  gird  up  the  loins 
of  your  mind,  be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end,  for  the  grace  that  is 
to  be  brought  unto  you  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ;  as 
obedient  children,  not  fashioning  yourselves  according  to  the 
former  lusts  in  your  ignorance  ;  but,  as  he  who  hath  called  you 
is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation.  Forasmuch 
(is  ye  know  that  ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as 
silver  and  gold,  from  your  vain  conversation,  and  your  ignomin- 
ious thraldom;  but  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a 
lamb  without  blemish,  and  ivithout  spot.  Stand  fast,  therefore, 
in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath  made  you  free,  and  be  not 
entangled  again  with  the  yoke  of  bondage.  Let  the  word  of 
Christ  dwell  in  you  richly,  in  all  ivisdom.  Show  your  faith  by 
your  works,  that  your  light  may  shine  before  men.  Giving  all 
diligence,  add  to  your  faith,  virtue  ;  and  to  virtue,  knowledge  ; 
and  to  knowledge,  temperance;  and  to  temperance,  patience; 
and  to  patience,  godliness  ;  and  to  godliness,  brotherly  kindness  ; 
and  to  brotherly  kindness,  charity.  For,  if  these  things  be  in 
you,  and  abound,  they  make  you  that  ye  shall  neither  be  barren 
nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Jlnd,  at  his  appearing  and  kingdom,  you  shall  be  found  to  praise^ 
and  honour,  and  glory  ;  and  shall  receive  the  end  of  your  faiths, 
even  the  salvation  of  your  souls. 


SERMON  XII. 


SORROW,  GODLY  AND  WORLDLY. 


2  Corinthians  vii.  10. 

For  godly  sorrow  worketh  repentance  to  salvation^  not  to  he  repented  of; 
but  the  sorrow  of  the  world  worketh  death. 

U  NDER  the  government  of  God,  a  world  in  rebellion  must 
be  a  world  of  sorrow.  Such,  my  brethren,  is  the  world  in  which 
we  live.  It  is  a  revolted  province  of  the  great  empire  of  Jeho- 
vah, and  man  is  horn  unto  trouble  as  the  sparks  fly  upioard. 

From  the  throne  of  heaven,  indeed,  the  proclamation  has 
been  issued,  of  peace  on  earth,  and  good  will  to  men  ;  and  this 
proclamation  comes  to  us,  sealed  with  the  blood  of  God's  own 
Son.  Yet  he  is  a  just  God,  as  well  as  a  Saviour.  While  he 
waits  to  be  gracious,  bends  with  infinite  tenderness  to  receive 
the  repentant,  and  spreads  the  riches  of  his  mercy  through  the 
earth ;  he  lets  his  terrors  also  be  known ;  and  to  evince  his  dis- 
pleasure against  sin,  and  the  importance  of  reconciliation  to  him, 
he  chequers  this  probationary  scene  with  afflictions  and  calami- 
ties, in  endless  variety.  The  world  at  large,  therefore,  is  a  Bo- 
chim,  a  place  of  tears.  All  men  have  their  sorrows ;  but  their 
sorrows  are  as  different,  in  tlieir  natures  and  tendencies,  as  they 
are  various  in  their  causes  and  circumstances.  There  are  sor- 
rows, which  God  beholds  with  infinite  compassion ;  there  are 
fears,  which  he  receives  into  the  bosom  ef  his  iove ;  and   there 


138  SERMON  XII. 

are  sorrows,  which  he  regards  with  utter  indignation  ;  there  are 
tears,  which  he  will  mingle  with  the  vials  of  his  wrath.  These 
diflerent  kinds  of  sorrow  are  described  in  our  text. 

By  a  former  letter,  which  he  had  written  to  them,  the  apostle 
had  caused  great  grief  to  the  Corinthians.  But  he  now  says  to 
them,  Though  I  made  you  sorry  by  a  letter,  1  do  not  repent, 
though  I  did  repent ;  for  I  perceive  that  Ae  same  epistle  made 
you  sorry,  though  it  were  but  for  a  season.  JVotv  I  rejoice,  not 
because  ye  were  made  sorry,  but  because  ye  sorrowed  to  repentance. 
For  ye  were  made  sorry  after  a  godly  manner,  that  ye  might  re- 
ceive damage  by  us  in  nothing.     For  godly  sorrow  worketh 

REPENTANCE  TO  SALVATION,  NOT  TO  BE  REPENTED  OF  J  BUT 
THE   sorrow   of   THE  WORLD  WORKETH  DEATH. 

Godly  sorrow  arises  from  love  to  God,  and  tends  to  salva- 
tion ;  but  the  sorrow  of  the  world  ai'ises  from  that  worldly  or 
carnal  mind,  which  is  enmity  against  God,  and  tends  to  perdi- 
tion ;  and  to  illustrate  the  different  natures  antl  tendencies  of 
these  two  kinds  of  sorrow,  is  what  I  shall  attempt  in  the  sequel 
of  this  discourse. 

The  occasion,  the  blameable  reason  of  all  the  sorrows  of 
mankind,  both  in  time  and  eternity,  is  sin.  It  was  sin,  which 
"brought  death  into  the  world,  and  all  our  woes."  It  is  sin, 
which  brings  down  the  displeasure  of  heaven  upon  us  here,  and 
exposes  us  to  everlasting  indignation  and  wrath  hereafter.  But, 
though  sin  is  the  blameable  reason  of  all  human  sufferings  ;  yet 
the  proximate  causes  of  sorrow  to  mankind,  are  many  and  vari- 
ous. Some  of  the  principal  of  these  only,  arranged  under  dis- 
tinct heads,  can  fall  within  the  limits  of  our  present  subject. 

I.  A  conviction  of  sin,  or  an  impressive  perception  of  guilt, 
is  a  cause  of  sorrow  to  mankind. 

Owing,  indeed,  to  the  hardness  of  the  heart  and  the  blind- 
ness of  the  mind,  there  is  generally  to  be  seen,  in  our  world,  a 
lamentable  stupidity  in  regard  to  sin ;  an  amazing  insensibility 
to  guilt.  Men,  whose  sins  reach  to  the  heavens,  whose  guilt 
would  sink  them  to  the  lowest  pit,  can  yet  bless  themselves  in 
the  earth,  as  if  they  were  innocent.  But  it  is  not  always  thus. 
By  various  means,  people  are  sometimes  roused  from  the  slum- 


SERMON   XII.  1S9 

bers  of  carnal  peace,  to  a  deeply  impressive  view  of  llicir  sin- 
fulness and  guilt.  Their  iniquities  are  set  in  order  before  them. 
They  are  convinced  of  their  native  depravity  ;  they  see  that  their 
transgressions  of  God's  holy  law  are  without  number ;  they  are 
overwhelmed  with  a  sense  of  their  provocations  against  him. 

A  conviction  of  sin  must  always  be  attended  with  sorrow ; 
but  the  sorrow  is  not  always  of  the  same  kind.  It  may  be  god- 
ly sorrow  ;  or  it  may  be  only  the  sorrow  of  the  ivorld.  Under  a 
conviction  of  sin,  are  you  tenderly  humbled  before  God  ^  In 
view  of  his  infinite  goodness,  of  the  transcendent  glory  of  his 
perfections,  and  loveliness  of  his  character,  does  your  heart  melt 
within  you,  for  the  wrong  which  you  have  committed  against 
him.''  Are  you  grieved  for  the  dishonour  which  you  have  done 
to  his  holy  name,  for  your  violations  of  his  perfect  law,  for  your 
abuse  of  his  infinite  grace  in  his  Son  ^  Are  you  ready  to  say, 
willi  the  deeply  affected  Job,  I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing 
of  the  ear ;  but  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee;  wherefore,  I  abhor  my- 
self and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes  ?  If  so,  you  are  inade  sorry 
after  a  godly  manner  ;  your  sorrow  is  a  godly  sorrow.  It  arises 
from  love  to  God. 

Is  it  otherwise  with  you  ."*  Is  the  cause  of  your  sorrow  not 
your  general  and  inward  sinfulness,  but  only  some  flagrant  enor- 
mities, some  alai'ming  outbreakings  of  sin  .''  And  are  you  afliicted, 
or  grieved,  only  on  account  of  the  odium,  or  disgrace,  or  of  the 
temporal  inconvenience  or  distress,  which  your  misconduct  may 
bring  upon  you.''  This  is  the  sorroxo  of  the  world.  It  arises 
wholly  from  a  worldly  spirit;  it  has  regard  to  no  other  than 
worldly  considerations.  Or  if,  not  any  flagrant  enormities,  or 
alarming  outbreakings  of  sin,  but  your  sinfulness  in  general,  is 
the  cause  of  your  sorrow ;  and  you  have  no  apprehension  of 
temporal  disgrace  or  inconvenience ;  why  then  are  you  distress- 
ed .'*  Is  it  on  account,  not  of  the  wrong,  which  you  have  done  to 
God,  but  of  his  wrath,  to  which  you  are  exposed  ^  This,  also,  is 
the  sorrow  of  the  ivorld.  The  hardened  convict,  who  has  mur- 
dered his  neighbour,  and  is  condemned  to  the  gallows,  may  be 
greatly  distressed,  on  account  of  the  punishment  which  awaits 
him;    and  yet  feel  no  tender  relentings   for  the   wrong  he  has 


140  SERMON  XII. 

done,  either  to  his  neighbour,  to  society,  or  to  God.  In  this 
case,  he  is  not  sorry  for  his  crime  ;  but  he  is  sorry,  that  he  could 
not  have  committed  his  crime  with  impunity.  Of  the  same  na- 
ture is  the  sorrow,  which  you  have,  on  account  either  of  the 
present  unhappiness,  or  the  future  punishment,  to  which  your 
sins  may  subject  you.  It  arises,  not  from  love  to  God,  but  from 
a  temper  of  heart,  which  would  be  content,  if  no  punishment 
awaited,  to  live  without  God  forever ;  nay,  from  a  temper  of 
heart,  which,  for  personal  safety  and  happiness,  would  prostrate 
the  majesty  of  God,  and  sacrifice  the  highest  good  of  the  uni- 
verse. You  are  sorry,  not  that  you  have  sinned  against  God, 
but  that  God  will  not  allow  you  to  pass  on  with  impunity  ;  not 
that  you  have  done  wrong,  but  that  God  will  do  right ;  not  that 
you  have  broken  a  law  which  is  Ao/y,  and  just,  and  good,  but 
that  the  curse  of  that  law  rests  upon  you  ;  not  that  you  have 
abused  infinite  goodness,  but  that  you  cannot  continue  thus  to 
do,  and  yet  be  happy.  This,  surely,  is  not  godly  sorrow  ;  it  is 
the  sorrow  of  the  world.  It  is  the  sorrow  of  worldly  men ;  a 
sorrow,  arising  from  that  love  of  the  world,  which  is  enmity  with 
God. 

II.  Adversity,  in  regard  to  fortune,  or  temporal  property,  is 
a  cause  of  sorrow. 

One  man  has  toiled  hard  all  his  days,  and  eaten  his  bread 
with  carefulness ;  but,  by  some  means  or  other,  has  been  un- 
successful, and  is  still  poor.  Another  man,  by  an  unexpected 
turn  of  times,  or  some  adverse  stroke  of  providence,  is  suddenly 
reduced  from  affluence  to  poverty.  Another,  by  ill  calculations, 
or  mismanagement  in  business,  has  brought  upon  himself,  not 
only  poverty,  but  disgrace,  and  involved  others  in  the  calamity. 
Have  these  men  sorrow.''  Undoubtedly  they  have.  But,  of 
what  nature  is  their  soitow  .''  Is  it  tender,  and  humble,  and  pa- 
tient, and  submissive  .''  Does  it  lead  them  to  see  the  vanity  of  the 
world ;  to  mourn  over  tlie  sinfulness  of  their  worldly  affections  ; 
to  acknowledge  the  justice  and  goodness  of  God  ;  to  sympathise, 
benevolently,  with  others  in  affliction  ;  to  look  to  the  gospel  for 
consolation  and  support ;  to  lay  up  their  treasure  in  heaven  : 
and,  by  patient  continuance  in  ivell  doing,  to  seek  for  glory,  and 


SERMON  Xll.  Hi 

honovr,  and  immortality^  If  so,  their  sorrow  h  goclhj  sorrow. — 
Is  it  otherwise  with  them  ?  Is  their  sorrow  proud,  antl  fretful, 
and  sullen,  and  refractory  f  Does  it  give  them  only  a  selfish  dis- 
2;nst  to  the  world  ?  Does  it  irritate  their  earthly  aflcctions,  and 
inflame  their  ungratified  desires  ?  Does  it  harden  their  hearts 
against  God,  his  providence,  and  his  grace  ?  Does  it  make  them 
envious  and  malignant  towards  their  fellow  men  ?  In  fine,  does 
it  lead  them  to  contemn  the  consolations  of  the  gospel,  to  des- 
pise all  good,  to  regard  both  God  and  men  as  their  enemies,  and 
to  give  themselves  up  to  the  rage  of  their  passions,  and  to  the 
frenzy  of  desperation  ? — This,  most  certainly,  is  not  godly  sor- 
row ;  it  is  the  sorrow  of  the  ivorld. 

III.  The  loss  of  relatives  and   friends  is  a  cause  of  sorrow. 

Death  dissolves  the  tenderest  connections  of  life.  It  tears 
away  from  the  heart  a  wife  or  husband,  dearer  than  self,  a  darl- 
ing child,  a  beloved  parent,  or  brother,  or  sister,  or  friend. 
These  are  painful  strokes ;  they  are  among  tlie  most  distressing 
afflictions  of  this  vale  of  tears.  When  vian  goeth  to  ?iis  long 
home,  the  mourners  go  about  the  streets.  But  iiow  do  they 
mourn .''  Do  they  mourn,  as  did  the  good  man  of  Uz,  when  he 
arose,  and  rent  his  mantle,   and  shaved   his   head,  and  fell  down 

upon  the  ground,  and  worshipped,  and  said, The  Lord 

gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  aioay  ;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
Lord  ?  Does  their  sorrow  lead  them  to  cease  from  man,  whose 
breath  is  in  his  nostrils,  and  to  trust  in  the  living  God,  2  Does  it 
teach  them  so  to  number  their  own  days,  that  they  apply  their 
hearts  unto  wisdom'?  Does  it  influence  them  to  live  as  stranp-crs 
and  pilgrims  on  the  earth,  and  to  desire  a  better  country,  even  an 
heavenly?  In  a  word,  does  it  excite  them  to  carefulness  and 
diligence  in  their  duty  to  themselves,  to  their  surviving  rclaiives 
and  friends,  to  all  their  fellow  men,  and  to  their  Saviour  and 
God  f  This,  my  brethren,  is  to  be  made  sorry  after  a  godly  man- 
ner ;  this  I?,  godly  sorrow.  Has  your  mourning,  then,  for  the 
loss  of  your  friends,  been  different  from  this.^  Is  your  sorrow  of 
another  kind .''  Is  it  gloomy  and  repining  ^  Does  it  refuse  the 
consolations  of  God,  and  regard  him  as  unjust  or  unmerciful  ? 
Does  it  make  you  discontented  with  life,  and  neglectful  of  your 


142  SERMON   Xll. 

duties  to  the  living  'f  Does  it  absorb  all  your  thoughts  and  cares, 
sink  you  in  despondency,  and  spend  Itself  m  unavailing  lamenta- 
tions and  complaints  ?  And  is  ihhgodli/  sorroiv?  No,  certainly; 
it  is  the  sorrow  af  the  world. 

Pain  and  sickness  are  causes  of  sorrow.  Disappointment  in 
respect  to  pleasure  or  preferment  is  a  cause  of  sorrow.  The 
unkindness  and  ingratitude  of  friends,  or  of  others,  are  causes  of 
sorrow.  But,  upon  these  and  other  causes,  with  which  this  evil 
v\'orld  abounds,  the  time  would  fail  me  to  enlarge.  Sufiice  it 
here  to  say,  that  wliatever  be  the  immediate  cause,  the  sorrow 
may  be  either  godly  sorrow,  or  the  sorrow  of  the  world ;  and  the 
difference  between  these,  will,  in  all  cases,  be  similar  to  what 
has  been  marked  under  the  preceding  articles.  In  all  cases, 
godly  sorrow  derives  its  nature  and  character  from  love  to  God ; 
and  the  sorrow  of  the  world  derives  its  nature  and  character  from 
that  worldly  or  carnal  mind,  which  is  enmity  against  God,  and 
is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be. 

Having  thus  considered  the  different  natures  of  these  two 
kinds  of  sorrow,  let  us  now  turn  our  attention,  more  particularly^ 
to  their  different  tendencies.  Godly  sorrow,  says  the  text, 
worJceth,  or  worketh  out,  repentance  unto  salvation,  not  to  he  re- 
pented of ;  hut  the  sorrow  of  the  ivorld  worketh,  or  worketh  out 
death. 

True  repentance  always  implies  godly  sorrow ;  and  in  this, 
indeed,  it  is  perhaps  very  commonly  supposed  principally,  if  not 
wholly,  to  consist.  In  the  large  evangelical  sense,  however,  re- 
pentance is  something  more  than  merely  godly  sorrow.  It  in- 
cludes reformation,  both  of  heart  and  hfe.  To  what  good  pur- 
pose is  it  to  sorrow,  even  after  a  godly  sort,  if  reformation  do 
not  follow  .^  It  is  with  a  view  to  reformation,  that  God  requires 
us  humbly  and  tenderly  to  mourn  before  him.  Godly  sorrow, 
then,  is  but  the  beginning  of  repentance,  as  it  is  only  the  first 
thing  towards  a  true  reformation.  It  is  so  represented  by  the 
apostle  in  our  text.  Godly  sorrow,  says  he,  worketh  out  repent- 
ance unto  salvation  ;  and  that  such,  in  fact,  is  hs  tendency,  is 
evident  from  what  has  already  been  observed  for  the  illustration 
of  its  nature. 


SERMON  Xlf.  J4J 

Is  a  sense  of  3111  the  cause  of  sorrow  ?  And  is  it  from  love  to 
God  tliat  you  mourn  for  sin  ?  Certainly,  then,  you  will  ahhor  sin, 
and  turn  from  it  unto  God.  You  will  humhly  accept  the  punish- 
ment of  your  iniquities,  and  ascribe  righteousness  unto  your 
Maker.  You  will  adore  the  holiness  and  justice,  as  well  as  the 
mercy  and  grace  of  God ;  you  will  cordially  acknowledge  the 
perfection  of  his  law,  and  esteem  all  his  precepts  concerning  alt 
things  to  be  right ;  and  it  will  be  your  sincere  desire  to  be  con- 
formed to  his  will,  both  in  heart  and  in  practice.  In  a  word,  in 
so  far  as  you  are  made  sorry  after  a  godly  sort,  you  will  hate 
every  false  way,  and  walk  in  newness  of  life.  This  is  repent- 
ance unto  salvation. 

Is  adversity,  in  regard  to  your  fortune,  or  your  temporal 
property,  the  cause  of  sorrow  ?  And  is  your  sorrow  humble,  and 
tender,  and  patient,  and  submissive  ?  What,  then,  will  be  the 
effect  ^  You  will  look  to  God  for  consolation,  and  will  return  lo 
your  rest  in  him.  You  will  withdraw  your  affections  from  the 
world,  and  will  say.  The  Lord  is  the  portion  of  mine  inheritance, 
and  of  my  cup.  You  will  be  brought  nearer  to  God,  and  will 
rejoice  more  and  more  in  him ;  the  world,  with  all  its  allure- 
ments, will  sink,  and  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  interests  of  his 
kingdom,  will  rise,  in  your  estimation  ;  and,  setting  your  affec- 
tions less  on  the  things  which  are  below,  and  mors  on  the  things, 
which  are  above,  it  will  be  your  aim,  your  study,  and  your  de- 
light, lo  do  justly,  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humhly  with  your 
God.  And  this,  surely,  is  an  important  part  of  that  repentance, 
that  reformation  of  heart  and  life,  which  is  unto  salvation. 

Is  the  loss  of  relatives,  or  friends,  the  cause  of  sorrow  ?  And 
is  your  sorrow  such  as  disposes  you  to  say  from  the  heart,  The 
Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away  ;  blessed  he  the  name 
of  the  Lord?  It  will,  then,  call  your  sins  to  remembrance,  and 
you  will  be  humbled  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God.  Awaken- 
ed from  the  dreams  of  overweening  fondness  for  human  connec- 
tions, and  recovered  from  the  illusions  of  undue  reliance  on 
them,  you  will  give  back  your  heart  to  God,  and  say,  M'Tiom 
have  I  ill  heaven  hut  thee,  and  there  is  none  upon  the  earth  that 
I  desire  besides  thee.     Thus  sanctified  in  your  rolativv^.  and  social 


144  SERMON  Xll. 

afFections,  and  regulated  by  the  divine  law,  a  reformation  will 
ensue,  in  regard  to  your  relative  and  social  duties ;  and,  holding 
your  earthly  connections  in  due  subordination  to  the  glorious 
object  of  your  supreme  affection,  you  will  be  concerned,  not 
merely  for  their  temporal  interests,  but  especially  for  their  im- 
mortal welfare.  And  this,  again,  is  a  very  material  part  of  that 
repentance,  which  is  unto  salvation. 

It  will  be  thus,  my  brethren,  with  godly  sorrow,  in  all  cases ; 
for,  in  all  cases,  its  nature  is  the  same,  and  its  tendency  the 
same.  Whatever  may  be  the  immediate  cause,  if  you  are  made 
sorry  after  a  godly  sort,  your  sorrow  will  work  repentance  unto 
salvation,  not  to  he  repented,  of. 

But,  adds  our  text,  the  sorrow  of  the  world  worketh  death. 
This,  also,  is  obvious  from  what  we  have  already  seen  of  the 
nature  of  this  sorrow.  Whatever  may  be  its  immediate  cause, 
whether  a  sense  of  guilt,  adversity  in  respect  to  property,  the 
loss  of  friends,  sickness,  or  disappointment,  or  any  thing  else ; 
the  sorrow  of  the  world,  however  plausible  in  its  appearances  or 
pretensions,  is  always,  in  its  nature,  malignant.  It  is  at  war  with 
God,  at  war  with  his  government  and  grace,  at  war  with  all  true 
happiness.  It  is  ungracious,  it  is  selfish,  it  is  impatient,  it  is 
gloomy,  it  is  sullen,  it  is  cruel.  It  worketh  out  death,  in  various 
ways. 

In  some  instances,  it  operates  like  a  wasting  consumption, 
which  secretly  dries  up  the  springs  of  health,  and  undermines 
and  prostrates  the  consthution.  In  other  instances,  its  paroxysms 
are  so  violent  as  to  bring  on  diseases,  which  rapidly  hasten  to  a 
fatal  crisis.  Sometimes,  it  induces  mental  insanity,  and  irreme- 
diable distraction  or  madness  ;  sometimes,  it  leads  to  habitual 
and  fatal  intemperance ;  sometimes  it  incites  to  the  perpetration 
of  crimes,  which  incur  capital  punishment ;  and  sometimes  it 
impels  the  guilty  sufferers  to  rush  upon  immediate  destruction, 
by  the  enormous  act  of  suicide.  Thus,  in  many  different  ways, 
it  works  out  temporal  death. 

Nor  less  evident  is  the  tendency  of  worldly  sorrow  to  work 
out  eternal  death.  Does  a  person  give  indulgence  to  this  sorrow^, 
until,  either  by  gradual  decline,  or  a  rapid  disease,  he  is  brought 


SERMON  XIL  145 

to  the  grave?  And  can  he,  without  repentance  of  such  indul- 
gence, leave  the  world  with  a  good  hope  for  eternity  ?  Can  he 
leave  the  world  with  a  good  hope,  while  his  heart  is  utterly  un- 
reconciled to  God  ? — Is  a  person,  by  the  sorrow  of  the  world^ 
thrown  into  distraction,  or  drowned  in  intemperance  f  And  if  he 
be  not  recovered  to  reason,  and  to  repentance,  can  he  pass  from 
this  wretched  and  guilty  state  to  the  realms  of  holiness  and  bliss? 
If  thus  deprived  of  reason,  is  it  not  his  crime,  as  well  as  his  ca- 
lamity ?  and  can  he,  without  repentance,  obtain  pardon  and  life  ? 
If  a  man,  in  the  frenzy  of  worldly  sorrow,  murderously  take  the 
life  of  another,  surely  it  will  not  be  imagined,  that,  without  re- 
pentance, he  can  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Will  it, 
then,  be  supposed  that  if,  in  the  frenzy,  the  irritation,  or  the 
despondency,  of  the  same  kind  of  sorrow,  a  person  violently  puts 
an  end  to  his  own  life,  he  can  thus  rush  into  everlasting  bliss? 
Can  he,  with  his  hands  reeking  with  his  own  blood,  be  admitted 
to  the  abodes  of  celestial  purity  ?  He  was  so  obstinately  un- 
reconciled to  God,  that  he  would  live  no  longer  under  his  gov- 
ernment in  this  world ;  and  is  he  to  be  happy,  can  he  be  happy, 
before  the  throne  of  God  in  heaven  ?  Will  you  say,  he  was  in- 
sane, he  was  distracted?  Be  it  even  so.  But  his  insanity,  his 
distraction  was  the  effect,  not  of  sickness,  not  of  any  immediate 
stroke  of  providence,  not  of  any  cause  merely  physical,  and 
therefore  innocent,  but  of  his  criminal  worldly  sorrow.  What, 
then,  does  it  make  in  his  favour  ?  At  any  rate,  so  far  as  appears, 
he  left  the  world,  under  the  governing  influence  of  that  carnal 
mind,  which  was  the  source  of  his  worldly  sorrow,  and  which, 
let  it  be  where  it  may,  is  enmity  against  God,  not  subject  to  his 
law,  neither  indeed  can  be. 

Such  then,  my  brethren,  is  the  nature,  and  such  the  tenden- 
cy of  the  sorrow  of  the  world.  It  refuses  submission  to  God,  it 
rejects  the  consolations  of  his  grace,  and  it  drowns  both  body  and 
soul  in  destruction  and  perdition.  Yes,  says  the  apostle,  Godhj 
sorrow  worketh  repentance  unto  salvation,  not  to  be  repented  of; 
but  the  sorrow  of  the  world  worketh  death. 
19 


146  SERMON  XII. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  We  are  led  gratefully  to  consider  the  wisdom  and  good- 
ness of  God,  displayed  in  his  varied  dispensations  towards 
mankind. 

Does  this  world  abound  with  causes  of  sorrow .''  Certainly  it 
does.  But  what  is  tliis  world .''  It  is  a  vast  probationary  theatre, 
where  millions  after  millions  of  fallen  sinful  beings  are  preparing 
for  a  final  judgment,  and  for  eternal  retributions.  It  is,  there- 
fore, evidently  proper  and  important,  that  the  dispensations  of 
God  should  be  adapted  to  this  great  purpose  ;  and  to  this  pur- 
pose they  are  most  admirably  adapted.  The  riches  of  his  good- 
ness and  grace,  which,  in  endless  variety,  he  is  displaying  be- 
fore us,  are  suited  tenderly  to  affect  our  minds,  and  lead  us  to 
repentance ;  nor  less  necessary  are  the  terrors  which  he  dis- 
plays, to  check  tlie  pride  and  presumption  of  men,  to  impress 
them  with  an  awe  of  his  holy  majesty,  and  to  show  them  the 
madness  and  the  fatal  consequences  of  sin.  All  those  dispensa- 
tions of  God,  all  those  circumstances  of  this  probationary  scene, 
which  afflict  mankind,  are  suited  to  answer  most  important  ends. 
They  are  so  many  causes  of  sorrow  ;  but,  if  the  sorrow  produc- 
ed by  them  be  godly  sorrow,  as  all  our  sorrow  ought  to  be,  it 
will  work  repentance  unto  salvation,  and  thus  redound  to  the 
glory  of  God,  and  our  everlasting  happiness.  And  if  the  sorrow 
be  only  that  of  the  world,  still,  those  dispensations  of  God,  by 
which  it  is  produced,  will  serve  to  prove  and  to  discover  the 
temper  of  our  hearts,  that  he  may  be  justified,  when  he  shall 
speak,  and  clear,  when  he  shall  judge. 

2.  We  are  led  to  reflect  on  the  unreasonableness,  the  crimi- 
nality, and  the  danger,  of  indulging  in  worldly  sorrow. 

It  is  unreasonable,  and  criminal,  because  God  is  good,  in- 
finitely good.  He  is  a  God  of  truth,  and  ivithout  iniquity;  Just 
and  right  is  he.  Under  his  government,  then,  there  can  never 
be  a  case,  in  which  it  is  right  to  indulge  in  that  kind  of  sorrow, 
which  arises  from  a  temper  unreconciled  to  him,  or  unsubmis- 
sive to  !)is  will.  To  indulge  in  this  sorrow  is  dangerous,  be- 
cause it  ivorketh  death.     It  tends  to  the  destruction  both  ofbodv 


SERMON   XII.  HT 

and  soul ;  and  the  more  it  is  indulged,  die  greater  is  the  danger. 
Does  any  one  ask  how  he  is  to  avoid  this  sorrow  ?  1  answer,  in 
a  word.  Submit  yourself  to  God,  and  give  place  to  that  sorrow, 
which  worketh  7-epentance  unto  salvation,  not  to  he  repented  of. 
Had  Ahithophel  and  Judas  done  this,  neither  the  one,  nor  the 
other,  would  have  gone  and  hanged  himself.  And  if  you  will 
do  this,  be  your  case  what  it  may,  you  will  perceive  no  reason 
to  repine  or  complain,  or  to  be  discontented  or  dissatisfied  with 
your  condition ;  but,  though  the  feelings  of  nature  may  still  be 
alive,  the  consolations  of  God  will  so  abound  with  you,  that  your 
hearts  will  be  filled  with  peace,  and  your  lips  with  praise. 

My  brethren,  does  not  diis  subject  claim  to  be  very  seriously 
considered  ?  Is  it  not  of  vast  importance,  that  the  momentous 
difference  between  the  sorrow  of  the  loorld,  and  true  godhj  sor- 
row, be  well  understood  ?  Is  there  not  reason  to  fear  that,  in 
many  instances,  the  sorrow  which  worketh  death,  has  been  mis- 
taken for  that  which  ivorketh  salvation  9  And  is  it  not  a  fact, 
diat  this  dreadful  mosal  disease  is  but  too  generally  regarded  as 
innocent,  if  not  even  meritorious  ?  Even  in  its  utmost  indulgence, 
in  its  highest  paroxysms,  and  in  its  most  tremendous  effects,  is 
it  not  too  commonly  regarded  as  merely  a  calamity,  without 
guilt.''  Sympathy  and  compassion  we  should  feel,  for  all  in 
affliction  and  distress.  But  never  should  our  sympathy  prevail 
to  justify  sin  ;  never  should  our  compassion  betray  us,  to  take 
part  with  the  sinner  against  God. 

3.  This  subject  may  assist  us  in  forming  a  judgment  of  the 
state  of  our  hearts,  and  of  our  standing  in  relation  to  God  and 
another  world. 

We  have  all  had  our  sorrov.'s.  Our  sorrows,  indeed,  have 
been  many.  But,  what  has  been  their  nature  ?  What  their  ten- 
dency.'' What  their  actual  effect.''  Have  we,  at  aW,  sorrowed 
after  a  godly  sort  ?  Have  our  sorrows,  in  any  degree,  worked 
out  true  repentance,  true  reformation  in  heart  and  life  ?  Or  have 
they  been  of  an  opposite  nature  and  tendency  ?  Some  effect 
upon  us  they  certainly  have  had.  Yes,  by  all  his  dispensations, 
both  of  judgment  and  of  mercy,  by  all  the  various  causes,  both 
of  our  sorrows  and  our  joys,  God  has  been  trying  us;  and,  un- 


148  SERMON  XII. 

der  these  various  trials,  we  are  either  vessels  of  mercy,  prepar--. 
ing  for  glory,  or  vessels  of  wrath,  fitting  for  destruction.  Mo- 
mentous tlK)ught !  If,  sorrowing  after  a  godly  sort,  we  sow  in 
tears,  we  shall,  in  due  time,  reap  in  joy.  If  we  go  forth  and 
weep,  bearing  precious  seed,  we  shall,  doubtless,  come  again 
with  rejoicing,  bringing  our  sheaves  with  us.  For  godly  sorrow 
ivorketh  repentance  unto  salvation,  not  to  be  repented  of.  But, 
if  we  have  only  the  sorrow  of  the  world,  we  have  fearful  reason 
to  apprehend,  that  we  are  treasuring  up  unto  ourselves  wrath 
against  the  day  of  wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judg- 
ment of  God.     For,  the  sorrow  of  the  world  worketh  deaths 


SERMON  Xm. 


GLORYING  ONLY  IN  THE  CROSS. 


»®« 


Galatians  VI.  14. 


But  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory^  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

ItXANKIND,  in  their  natural  state,  are  fallen  from  God  into 
themselves.  The  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is  designed  to  raise 
them  from  themselves  to  God,  In  affecting  this,  it  produces  in 
them  a  change,  so  radical  and  entire,  that  if  any  man  be  in 
Christ  Jesus,  or  truly  brought  into  his  religion,  he  is  a  new  crea- 
ture; old  things  are  passed  away,  and  all  things  are  become  neu\ 
Of  this  astonishing  effect  of  the  gospel,  we  have  a  striking  ex- 
emplification in  the  instance  of  Paul ;  and  the  change  wrought 
in  him  is  very  clearly  presented  to  our  view  in  the  verse  of 
which  our  text  is  a  part.  But  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory, 
save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  the  world  is 
crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world.  In  treating  on  the  sub- 
ject, I  shall, 

I.  Consider  the  text  in  its  particular  application  to  the  apos- 
tle.    And, 

II.  Consider  some  reasons  which  all  christians  have  to  glory 
in  the  cross  of  Christ. 

I.  Let  us  consider  the   import  of  the  text,   in  its  particular 
application  to  the  apostle. 


150  SERBION    XIII. 

God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  On  selfish  and  worldly  principles,  the  apostle 
might  have  gloried  in  his  learning  and  talents ;  in  his  eminent 
attainments  in  pharisaical  religion  ;  and  in  his  distinguished  gifts, 
labours,  and  success,  as  an  apostle. 

Paul  was  a  man  of  distinguished  parts  and  learning.  Before 
his  conversion  to  Christianity,  he  stood  high  in  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  the  first  characters  of  his  nation ;  and  the  young 
man  was  scarcely  to  be  found,  of  higher  promise,  or  of  brighter 
prospects.  But,  in  this  the  apostle  of  Jesus  would  not  glory. 
Hear  what  he  says  to  the  Corinthians.  And  I,  brethren,  when  1 
came  to  you,  came  not  ivith  excellency  of  speech,  or  of  wisdom^ 
declaring  unto  you  the  testimony  of  God ;  for  I  determined  not 
to  know  any  thing  among  you,  save  Jesus  Christ  and  him  cruci- 
fied. While  he  employed  his  talents  and  learning  in  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  he  was  not  studious  ostentatiously  to  display 
them  ;  but  he  sacredly  held  them  in  devoted  subserviency  to  the 
doctrine  of  a  crucified  Saviour. 

Paul  was  also  distinguished  for  his  attainments  in  the  phari- 
saical religion ;  that  religion,  I  mean,  which  is  properly  called 
self-righteousness.  It  was  a  prevailing  errour  with  the  Jews,  and 
especially  with  tlie  Pharisees,  that  they  valued  themselves  much 
upon  their  religious  privileges,  and  trusted  in  themselves  that  they 
were  righteous.  In  this  religion,  while  a  Pharisee,  Paul  profited 
above  most  of  them  ;  so  much  so,  indeed,  that  to  the  Philippians 
he  said,  If  any  other  man  thinketh  he  hath  whereof  to  glory  in 
fhejlesh,  I  more  :  Circumcised  the  eighth  day,  of  the  stock  of 
Israel,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin  ;  an  Hebrew  of  the  Hebrews  ; 
as  touching  the  law,  a  Pharisee;  concerning  zeal,  persecuting 
the  church  ;  as  touching  the  righteousness  ivhich  is  in  the  law, 
blameless.  In  this  he  had  gloried  ;  but  in  this  he  would  glory 
no  more.  On  the  contrary,  with  reference  directly  to  this  he 
says,  What  things  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for 
Christ. 

As  he  would  not  glory  in  his  talents  or  attainments  as  a  man, 
or  a  scholar,  nor  in  his  advantages  as  a  Jew,  or  a  Pharisee  ;  so 
neither  would  he  glory  in   any  of  his  distinctions,   as  a  Minister 


SERMON    XIIT.  151 

of  Christ.  In  tliis  character,  he  was  not  a  ivhit  behind  the  vcnj 
chief  of  the  apostles.  He  was  eminently  a  chosen  vessel,  to  bear 
the  name  of  Christ  before  the  Gentiles,  and  kings,  and  the  child- 
ren of  Israel.  He  had  been  caught  njj  into  the  third  heaven, 
and  heard  things  not  lawful  to  be  uttered  on  earth;  and,  by  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  had  wrought  all  manner  of  won- 
ders, and  signs,  and  mighty  deeds.  Attended  by  the  same 
power,  he  had  preached  the  gospel  in  most  of  the  countries  and 
principal  cities  of  the  Roman  Empire  ;  nor  had  his  success  been 
less  wonderful  than  his  labours  were  abundant.  If  the  false 
teachers  could  glory  in  the  number  of  their  proselytes,  surely 
not  with  less  reason  might  the  aposde  of  the  Gentiles  have  glori- 
ed in  the  hundreds  and  thousands,  of  different  nations,  and  in 
different  lands,  who  were  turned  by  his  ministry,  from  darkness 
unto  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God.  Cut,  in 
these  he  would  not  glory ;  nor  would  he  glory  either  in  his  un- 
equalled labours,  or  his  preeminent  gifts.  From  these,  he  as- 
sumed no  merit  to  himself;  but,  notwithstanding  the  distinctions 
which  he  held  in  these  respects,  he  was  ready  to  say,  I  am  the 
least  of  the  apostles,  that  am  not  meet  to  be  called  an  apostle,  be- 
cause I  persecuted  the  church  of  God.  But,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  I  am  what  I  am  ;  and  his  grace,  which  was  hestoxved  upon 
me  was  not  in  vain ;  but  I  laboured  more  abundantly  than  they 
all ;  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  which  was  in  me.  His  lan- 
guage was,  JVot  unto  me,  not  unto  me ;  but  unto  thy  name,  O 
Lord,  give  glory.  God  forbid,  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the 
cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

In  this  solemn  protestation  of  the  apostle,  there  is  evidently 
a  very  noticeable  emphasis  upon  cross.  He  not  only  abjures 
all  glorying  in  himself,  and  in  things  of  a  personal  nature ;  but 
he  seems  to  disclaim  the  right  to  glory  even  in  the  Lord,  ex- 
cepting in  a  particular  way.  Some  there  are,  who  glory  in  God, 
without  respect  to  the  cross.  The  unbelieving  Jews  called  God 
their  Father,  and  made  their  boast  of  him.  Deists,  and  others, 
in  our  day,  extol  the  greatness  and  goodness  of  God,  call  him 
their  Father,  and  glory  in  being  his  offspring,  thinking  but  little 
of  the  guilty  circumstances  of  their  fallen  state,  or  of  the  soleniH 


152  SERMON  Xlll. 

import  of  the  declaration  of  Christ  to  the  Jews,  Ye  are  of  your 
father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye  ivill  do.  Others 
there  are,  who  even  glory  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  still  have  very- 
little  regard  to  the  cross ;  nay,  are  absolutely  ashamed  of  the 
cross.  You  will  hear  them  talk  with  much  complacency  of  our 
Saviour,  of  the  amiableness  of  his  character,  of  the  excellency 
of  his  doctrine,  of  the  admirable  superiority  of  his  instructions; 
and  you  will  hear  them  boast  of  being  his  disciples ;  while  every 
thing  pertaining  to  his  cross,  in  any  proper  view  of  it,  is  either 
studiously  kept  out  of  sight,  or  pointedly  abjured  and  contemned. 
They  glory  in  Jesus  Christ ;  but  they  do  not  glory  in  his  cross. 
Such  was  the  fact,  in  the  case  of  the  false  teachers,  and  false 
christians,  against  whom  this  epistle  to  the  Galatians  was  written ; 
and  in  this  consisted  the  grand  point  of  difference,  and  of  op- 
position, between  them  and  the  apostle. 

If  the  apostle  gloried  in  God  as  his  Father,  or  in  Christ  as 
his  Saviour,  or  his  Master  and  Lord,  it  was  only  in  a  particular 
way ;  it  was  only  with  reference  to  the  cross.  God  forbid,  says 
he,  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  This,  my  brethren,  is  the  grand  point  of  distinction  be- 
tween the  true  believer,  and  all  others ;  and  on  this  point  our  at- 
tention should  be  steadily  fixed.  But,  what  did  the  apostle's 
glorying  in  the  cross  principally  imply .''  It  implied, 

1.  That  he  regarded  the  crucifixion  of  Christ  as  an  event  of 
the  highest  importance. 

We  may  believe  that  Jesus  was  a  righteous  man ;  that  he 
was  crucified  under  an  unjust  sentence,  and  by  wicked  hands  ; 
that  he  was,  in  some  pecuhar  sense,  the  Son  of  God ;  and  that 
he  died  as  a  martyr  to  the  truth,  and  sealed  with  his  blood  his 
divine  mission  and  doctrine ;  and  yet  have  but  little  regard,  and 
no  suitable  regard  to  his  cross.  In  Christ  crucified,  the  believ- 
ing Paul  beheld,  not  merely  a  martyrdom  to  the  truth ;  but, 
what  is  infinitely  more,  a  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  world. 
He  viewed  Jesus  upon  the  cross,  not  merely  as  a  righteous  man, 
suffering  unjustly ;  not  merely  as  the  greatest  of  prophets,  put- 
ting the  final  seal  to  his  testimony  for  God  ;  but,  as  the  Son  of 
the  Highest,  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  tvounded  for  our  trans- 


SERMON    XIII.  153 

g7-essions,  bruised  for  our  iniquities,  enduring  the  chastisement  of 
our  peace,  that  by  his  stripes  ive  might  be  healed ;  or,  in  our 
apostle's  own  strong  language,  made  a  curse  for  us,  that  we 
might  be  redeemed  from  the  curse  of  the  law ;  offering  himself 
without  spot  to  God,  that  he  might  obtain  eternal  redemption  for 
tis.  Such,  my  brethren,  was  the  important  and  affecting  light, 
in  which  Paul  viewed  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and 
in  this  view  he  held  it  in  the  highest  esteem.  He  regarded  it  as 
the  infinitely  precious  medium  of  peace  on  earth,  and  good  ivill 
towards  men ;  as  the  grand  expedient  of  heaven,  for  the  re- 
covery of  our  fallen  race ;  for  the  pardon  of  sin,  and  the  recon- 
ciliation of  sinners  to  God  ;  for  tlie  display  of  infinite  mercy,  and 
the  everlasting  thanksgivings  of  millions  to  the  glory  of  redeem- 
ing love.     But,  Paul's  glorying  in  the  cross  of  Christ  implied, 

2.  That  he  felt  a  deep  personal  interest  in  it. 

We  have  abundant  evidence,  that  Paul  had  a  deep  convic- 
tion of  his  own  sinfulness.  He  confessed  himself,  indeed,  the 
chief  of  sinners.  He  saw,  and  acknowledged,  that  all  his  sup- 
posed righteousness,  in  which  he  once  trusted,  and  on  the  ground 
of  which  he  had  made  his  boast  in  God  as  his  Father,  was  really 
no  better  than  filthy  rags,  and  could  afford  him  no  ground  of 
good  hope  for  the  eternal  world.  He  saw  his  need  of  a  Saviour ; 
the  necessity  of  a  sacrifice  for  his  sin  ;  the  absolute  impossibility 
of  his  obtaining  salvation,  in  any  other  way.  He  looked  to  the 
cross  of  Calvary  as  his  only  hope.  There  he  beheld  the  Lamb 
of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  He  penitently 
acknowledged  the  sacrifice  ;  he  humbly  believed  in  Christ  cruci- 
fied ;  and  thus  believing,  he  found  himself  reconciled  to  God ; 
he  felt  the  blessedness  of  the  man,  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven, 
whose  sins  are  covered,  unto  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  not  iniqui^ 
ty.  Being  justified  by  faith,  he  had  peace  tvith  God,  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  rejoiced  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God. 

Hence  it  was  that  he  gloried  in  the  cross ;  and  that  he  would 
glory  in  nothing  else.  If  he  admired  the  perfections  of  the  di- 
vine nature ;  the  greatness,  the  wisdom,  the  goodness  of  God ; 
he  perceived  and  acknowledged,  that  it  was  only  by  the  cross  of 

Christ,   that  he  was  brought  to  a  just  view  of  those  perfectioiK^, 
20 


154  SERMON  XIIL 

and  into  a  true  enjoyment  of  them.  If  he  regarded  God  as  his 
Father ;  he  perceived  and  acknowledged,  that  he  had  been 
alienated  from  God,  and  had  forfeited  all  claim  to  his  paternal 
regards  ;  and  that  it  was  only  by  the  cross,  that  he  was  recover- 
ed from  his  estrangement,  that  his  forfeiture  was  redeemed,  and 
that  he  was  restored  to  the  privileges  of  the  sons  of  God.  If  he 
rejoiced  in  Christ,  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  and  beheld  his 
glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father  ;  he  per- 
ceived and  acknowledged,  that  even  the  Son  of  God  could  have 
been  no  Saviour  for  him,  otherwise  than  by  the  means  of  death 
for  the  redemption  of  transgressors  ;  otherwise  than  by  means  of 
THE  CROSS.  Whatever  he  saw  in  God,  to  admire  and  to  adore; 
whatever  he  saw  in  Christ,  to  love  and  to  praise ;  whatever  he 
saw  in  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  heaven,  to  fill  him  with  joy  un- 
speakable  and  full  of  glory ;  still,  he  regarded  the  cross  as  the 
foundation  of  all  his  happiness,  and  of  all  his  hopes. — But,  the 
apostle's  earnest  protestation,  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory, 
save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  implied, 

3.  That  he  held  the  cross  in  such  esteem,  that,  whatever 
others  might  say  or  do  respecting  itj  he  would  openly  profess 
and  vindicate  his  attachment  to  it. 

In  his  day,  as  the  fact  has  been  in  every  succeeding  age, 
Christ  crucified  was  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling  block,  and  to  the 
Greeks  foolishness.  For  his  adherence  to  the  cross,  the  apostle 
himself,  though  once  the  delight  and  the  idol  of  his  nation,  was 
cast  off,  and  treated  with  contempt ;  nay,  as  he  himself  ex- 
presses it,  was  made  as  the  filth  of  the  world,  and  the  ojf scouring 
of  all  things.  Yet  he  was  not  ashamed  ;  but,  under  all  the  re- 
proaches and  contempt  of  the  world,  he  gloried  in  the  cross, 
and  in  the  cross  only  would  he  glory.  Yea,  doubtless,  he  says, 
and  I  count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge 
of  Christ  Jesics  my  Lord;  for  whom  I  have  suffered  the  loss  of 
all  things,  and  do  count  them  but  dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ. 
I  am  crucified  with  Christ ;  nevertheless,  I  live  ;  yet  not  I,  hut 
Christ  liveih  in  me  ;  and  the  life  which  I  noiv  live  in  the  flesh,  I 
live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God.  Such,  my  brethren,  were 
the  views,  and  such  was  the  temper  of  Paul. — We  are  no"vv, 


SERMON    XIII.  155 

II.  To  consider  some  reasons  why  all  christians  should  glory 
in  tlie  cross  of  Christ. 

The  particulai-s  mentioned  under  the  first  general  head,  as 
implied  in  Paul's  glorying  in  the  cross,  are  applicable  to  all 
christians.  All  christians  must  esteem  tlie  cross  infinitely  im- 
portant; all  christians  must  feel  a  particular  interest  in  the  cross; 
and  all  christians  must  hold  the  cross  in  such  esteem,  as  not  to 
be  ashamed  of  it,  and  as  not  to  be  deterred  from  professing  their 
attachment  to  it,  by  any  worldly  considerations.  These  may 
be  considered  as  reasons  of  a  more  particular  and  personal  na- 
ture, why  every  chrisUan  should  gloiy  in  the  cross  of  Christ. 
But,  at  tlie  foundation  of  these,  there  are  reasons,  of  a  nature 
more  general  and  extensive,  which  deserve  to  be  considered. 

1.  The  cross  of  Christ  gives  the  highest  and  most  precious 
illustration  of  the  perfections  of  God. 

The  perfections  of  God  are  displayed  in  all  things  ai'ound  us. 
We  can  consider  the  heavens,  the  work  of  his  fingers,  the  moon 
and  the  stars,  which  he  has  ordained,  and  not  perceive  so  much 
of  his  glory  as  to  be  constrained  to  exclaim,  with  the  pious 
psalmist.  Lord,  what  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him? 
Who  can  survey  the  earth,  with  its  endless  riches,  and  beauties, 
and  wonders,  and  not  be  struck  with  the  demonstrations  of  his 
eternal  power  and  godhead?  But,  if  we  would  see  the  glory  of 
the  divine  perfections  in  their  brightest  lustre,  we  must  look  di- 
rectly at  the  cross. 

If  to  create  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  all  the  host  of 
them,  required  a  display  of  infinite  wisdom  and  power ;  how 
much  greater  and  more  glorious  must  be  the  display  of  those 
majestick  attributes  of  Jehovah,  in  raising  up  from  the  ruins  of  an 
apostate  world,  a  kingdom,  of  holiness  and  happiness,  which 
should  be  the  perfection  of  beauty,  and  the  admiration  of  the 
universe  forever  .'*  In  effecting  tliis,  expiation  must  be  made  for 
sin ;  such  an  expiation  as  shall  make  it  clear  to  all  intelligent 
beings,  that  God  is  just,  while  he  pardons  sin,  and  restores  the 
sinner  to  his  favour ;  fallen  sinful  men  must  be  created  anew, 
must  be  changed  from  enmity  to  love,  from  the  image  of  Satan, 
into  the  image  of  God ;  the  enemies  of  xhh  stupendous  work 


156  SERMON    Xltl. 

must  be  defeated  in  their  designs,  and  finally  subdued ;  and,  tor 
ages  after  ages,  the  affairs  of  the  world  must  be  so  directed  and 
overruled,  as  at  once  not  to  infringe  the  freedom  of  creatures, 
and  yet  to  secure  the  accomplishment  of  the  divine  plan.  All 
this  is  done  in  the  work  of  redemption  ;  and  done  by  means  of 
the  cross  of  Christ.  It  is  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  that  such  an 
expiation  is  presented  to  the  universe  as  perfectly  to  secure,  and 
even  gloriously  to  illustrate,  the  justice  of  God,  in  the  justifica- 
tion of  the  guilty.  It  is  by  the  cross  of  Christ,  that  the  influences 
of  the  divine  Spirit  are  procured  for  the  moral  renovation  of  de- 
praved mankind.  It  is  through  the  cross,  that  the  Redeemer  so 
governs  the  world,  as  to  make  all  things  conspire  to  the  accom- 
plishment of  his  great  design.  In  the  cross  of  Christ,  then,  the 
whole  universe  may  see  all  the  perfections  of  the  Godhead  most 
harmoniously  and  rcsplendently  displayed.  Mercy  and  truth 
are  met  together  ;  righteousness  and  peace  have  kissed  each  other. 
Indeed,  the  cross  was  erected  to  the  intent  that  unto  the  princi- 
palities and  powers  in  heavenly  places,  might  be  known  by  the 
church  the  manifold  ivisdom  of  God.  This  wonderful  display  of 
the  divine  perfections  every  true  christian  perceives,  with  greater 
or  less  clearness.  He  beholds  upon  the  cross,  he  beholds  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ,  a  radiance  of  glory,  which  eclipses  all  the 
lights  of  the  creation.  In  this  display,  he  has  a  deep  interest ; 
and,  therefore,  in  the  cross,  by  which  it  is  made,  he  has  the 
highest  reason  to  glory. 

2.  The  cross  of  Christ  is  a  stupendous  instrument  for  pro- 
moting holiness. 

It  is  by  the  cross  that  men  obtained  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  their  sanctification.  It  is  by 
means  of  the  cross,  that  they  are  brought  to  repentance,  to  a  true 
knowledge  of  God,  into  a  state  of  reconciliation  with  him,  and 
to  such  a  view  of  his  glory,  iii  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  as 
changes  them  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory,  or  from 
one  degree  of  holiness  unto  another. 

The  cross  of  Christ  establishes  the  divine  law,  and  magnifies 
and  makes  it  honourable,  as  the  eternal  standard  of  holiness ;  it 
presents  such  a  view  of  the  holiness  of  God,  in  its  transcendent 


SERMON    XIII.  157 

beauty,  as  lias  a  transforming  influence  on  the  hearts  and  lives 
of  believers  ;  and  it  exhibits  the  most  powerful  motives  to  abhor 
iliat  which  is  evil,  and  cleave  to  that  which  is  good.  The  single 
consideration,  that  they  have  been  redeemed,  not  with  corruptible 
things,  as  silver  and  gold,  from  their  vain  conversation  ;  but  with 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  ivithout  blemish,  and 
withotit  spot,  is  of  infinitely  greater  efficacy  to  promote  holiness, 
in  true  behevers,  than  all  the  lessons  which  sages  and  moralists 
have  ever  given  to  the  world.  Yes,  brethren,  the  grace  of  God 
which  bringeth  salvation,  and  which  is  exhibited  in  Christ  cruci- 
fied, teaches  us  that,  denying  ungodliness,  and  ivorldly  lusts,  ive 
should  live  soberly,  and  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  present 
world.  And  it  is  by  this  grace  only,  that  men  are  recovered  to 
glory  and  virtue,  and  made  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance 
efthe  saints  in  light.  Never,  since  the  fall  in  paradise,  has  a 
single  individual  of  the  human  race  been  made  holy,  otherwise 
than  by  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 
Among  the  millions  of  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  -perfect, 
around  the  throne  of  God  in  heaven,  there  is  not  one  to  be 
found,  there  never  will  be  one  to  be  found,  whose  robe  has  not 
been  washed  and  made  ivhite  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  As  im- 
portant, therefore,  as  it  is  to  every  christian  to  be  made  holy 
himself,  to  have  others  made  holy,  and  to  have  holiness  increased 
in  the  world,  and  advanced  in  the  kingdom  of  God  forever,  so 
great  is  the  reason  which  he  has  to  glory  in  the  cross  of  Christ. 

3.  The  cross  of  Christ  promotes  general  happiness. 

Of  all  the  perfections  of  God,  so  wonderfully  displayed  in 
Christ  crucified,  his  infinite  love  appears  with  superiour  lustre. 
Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and 
sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  This  love  must 
certainly  produce  happiness.  Indeed,  to  promote  happiness  was 
the  great  object  for  which  the  love  of  God,  in  the  death  of  his 
Son,  was  manifested;  and  the  happiness  to  be  conferred,  by 
such  a  matchless  display  of  love,  must  infinitely  surpass  our 
highest  conceptions.  Of  this  happiness,  every  believer  in  Christ 
is  a  partaker.  Being  justified  by  faith,  he  has  peace  with  God. 
To  him  there  is  no  condemnation.     He  is  an  heir  of  God,  and 


458  SERMON    XIII. 

a  joint  heir  with  Ch7-ist.  All  things,  even  in  this  trying  world, 
ivork  together  for  his  good.  At  death,  he  will  be  made  perfect 
in  holiness,  and  be  admitted  to  the  presence  of  God,  where  is 
fulness  of  joy,  and  to  his  right  hand,  where  there  are  pleasures 
forevermore.  And,  in  the  day  of  the  resurrection,  his  corruptible 
shall  put  on  incorruption,  and  his  mortal  shall  put  on  immor- 
tality ;  death  will  be  swallowed  up  in  victory ;  his  body  made 
like  to  the  Redeemer's  glorious  body,  shining  like  the  sun,  shall 
be  reunited  with  his  soul,  and  he  shall  go  away  into  life  eternal. 
It  is  so,  and  will  be  so,  with  the  countless  millions  of  the  redeem- 
ed. When  their  sorrows  on  earth  shall  be  ended,  and  the  great 
work  of  redemption  shall  be  completed,  they  shall  hunger  no 
more,  neither  thirst  any  more,  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them^ 
nor  any  heat ;  hut  the  Lamb  that  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne 
shall  feed  th^m,  and  shall  lead  them  to  living  fountains  of  waters; 
and  God  shali  vnpe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes.  The  happi- 
ness of  this  vast  multitude,  which  no  man  can  number,  will  be 
immeasurably  great,  and  will  continually  increase  with  the  ages 
of  eternity.  And,  by  this  happiness  of  the  redeemed  from 
among  men,  and  by  the  displays  of  divine  perfection,  the  unfold- 
ing of  infinite  love  in  conferring  it,  the  happiness  of  angels, 
throughout  all  their  hosts,  must  be  immensely  augmented. 

All  this  happiness,  my  brethren,  is  procured  by  the  cross  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  will  be  acknowledged,  with  un- 
speakable gratitude,  in  the  immortal  song  of  the  redeemed,  Unto 
him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood, 
and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father  ; 
to  him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever.  Amen.  In  this 
exalted  happiness,  all  true  christians  have  an  eternal  interest ; 
in  this  immortal  song,  they  will  all  eternally  beai-  a  part.  Has 
not  every  true  christian,  then,  the  highest  reason  to  adopt  the 
language  of  the  holy  apostle,  and  say,  God  forbid  that  I  should 
glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  We  may  see  what  is  the  great  and  leading  doctrine  of  the 
o-ospel.     It  is  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  of  Christ ;  the  truth,  that 


SERMON   XIII.  159 

the  Son  of  God,  crucified  upon  Calvary,  was  a  propitiation  for 
the  sins  of  the  world.  This  was  the  great  purpose  of  grace 
formed  m  the  eternal  counsels  of  peace  ;  intimated  in  the  first 
promise  to  fallen  man  ;  gradually  unfolded  in  succeeding  ages ; 
and  completely  manifested  in  the  fulness  of  time.  Redemption — 
redemption  by  the  appointed  Saviour,  was  the  subject  of  the 
ancient  promises,  the  hope  of  the  ancient  saints,  the  substance 
of  the  ancient  shadows,  the  good  tidings  of  great  joy  announced 
by  angels  from  heaven,  and  the  theme  of  the  first  preachers  of 
the  gospel.  /  determined  not  to  knoio  any  thing  among  you, 
3ays  Paul,  save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified.  And  with  him 
all  the  apostles  were  agreed.  Did  they,  then,  mistake  their  mes- 
sage ^  Did  they  depart  from  their  commission .''  Did  they  mis- 
lead their  hearers  f  No ;  for  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay^ 
than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ.  On  this  foundation, 
whatever  is  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God,  in  doctrine  or  practice, 
must  be  built.  Every  other  part  of  the  word  of  God  derives 
light  and  beauty,  force  and  meaning,  hfe  and  efiicacy,  from  the 
doctrine  of  the  cross.  If,  then,  this  doctrine  be  kept  out  of  sight, 
whatever  men  may  preach,  their  preaching  must  be  essentially 
defective.  Should  they  preach  repentance  toward  God,  or  faith 
in  the  Saviour,  or  love  to  God,  or  good  works,  still,  if  they  preach 
these  things  without  any  reference  to  the  cross  of  Christ,  without 
any  regard  to  his  propitiatory  sacrifice,  their  preaching  must  be 
essentially  defective.  Though  they  may  speak  with  the  tonguejs 
of  men  and  angels ;  and  though  they  may  receive  the  highest 
applauses  for  the  excellent  lessons  of  morality  which  they  give ; 
if  their  lessons  are  not  founded  in  the  doctrine  of  the  cross,  they 
are,  in  the  hearing  of  God,  and  for  the  salvation  of  men,  no  bet- 
ter than  sounding  brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal;  and  the  humble 
behever  in  Jesus  may  well  lament,  like  Mary  at  the  sepulchre, 
They  have  taken  away  my  Lord,  and  I  know  not  ivhere  they  have 
laid  him.  It  Is  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  that  only,  wliich  imparts 
divine  energy  to  doctrine,  and  vitality  to  morals.  This,  and  this 
only,  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  to  them  that  believe ; 
and  if  this  be  withheld,  or  but  obscurely  brought  into  view,  the 
|)eople  must  famish  for  want  of  the  word  of  life. 


I  GO  SERMON   XIII. 

2.  \Vc  nvdy  see  the  folly,  the  guilt,  and  the  danger,  of  the 
enemies  of  the  cross.  These  may  be  comprised  in  two  classes ; 
the  openly  irreligious,  and  the  pharisaically  righteous.  The 
openly  irreligious  despise  every  thing  that  is  serious.  Tiiis  world 
is  their  portion  ;  and  its  riches,  its  honours,  and  its  pleasures,  the- 
avowed  objects  of  their  pursuit.  On  these  they  set  their  hearts, 
and  iu  these  they  glory.  But,  what  are  these  ?  Are  they  not 
empty  and  vain.''  Do  they  not  disappoint  their  expectations  and 
hopes  ?  Do  they  not  either  elude  their  eager  grasp,  or  take  to 
themselves  wings  and  fly  away,  or  perish  in  the  using.''  And 
what  will  the  deluded  votaries  of  the  world  do  in  the  end  ? 
When  death  closes  these  temporary  scenes,  and  they  pass  into 
the  eternal  world,  what  will  they  have  for  their  portion  there .'' 
This  only  can  they  have,  they  must  lie  down  in  sorrow,  in 
shame,  and  everlasting  contempt.  Are  these,  then,  the  truly 
wise,  and  rich,  and  happy  r  And  does  it  become  them  to  de- 
spise, to  reproach,  and  to  treat  with  scorn,  the  humble  believers 
in  the  cross  ?  Alas,  what  madness  is  in  their  hearts  ! 

The  other  class  is  of  those,  who  trust  in  themselves  that  they 
are  righteous.  These  have,  in  every  Pcge,  shown  themselves 
not  less  decidedly  the  enemies  of  the  cross,  than  the  openly 
irreligious.  It  was  from  these,  that  the  Saviour  and  his  apostles 
met  Vi^ith  the  most  determined  opposiuon.  Going  about  to  es- 
tablish their  ow-n  righteousness,  they  will  not  submit  themselves 
to  the  righteousness  of  God.  They  glory  in  their  own  good  dis- 
positions, and  good  works ;  and,  to  them,  Christ  crucified  is  a 
stone  of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  offence,  and  those  who  build  on 
this  fomidation  are  objects  of  contempt  and  reproach.  Is  it  not 
astonishing,  that  persons  of  this  character  can  read  without  ter- 
rour  the  awful  denunciations  of  the  Saviour  against  the  Pharisees 
of  his  day  ?  Is  it  not  astonishing,  that  they  can  forget,  or  over- 
look, diat  Paul  himself  was  once  of  the  same  character  with 
themselves  ?  Thai  once,  in  the  pride  of  his  heart,  he  regarded 
the  cross  of  Christ,  and  the  humble  believers  in  a  crucified 
Saviour,  Vvith  sovereign  contempt ;  but  that,  afterwards,  when, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  he  was  brought  to  a  better  mind,  he  could 
say,  ff  any  other  man  thinketh  he  hath  whereof  he  might  trust  in 


SERMON   XIII.  161 

the  flesh,  I  more; hut  what  things  were  gain  to  me,  those 

I  counted  loss  for  Christ;  and,  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory, 
save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ!  Is  it  not  astonishing, 
indeed,  that,  in  places  where  the  gospel  is  known,  and  acknowl- 
edged to  be  from  God,  its  fundamental  truths  should  be  so  little 
regarded;  and  that  people  should  call  themselves  christians, 
while  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  is  proudly  excluded  from  their 
faith,  or  contemptuously  trampled  upon  in  their  practice  ?  It 
were  well,  if  the  professors  of  the  gospel  would  accustom  them- 
selves to  study  the  characters  of  the  primitive  christians,  as  de- 
lineated in  the  sacred  writings,  and  compare  their  own  faith  and 
practice  with  the  living  standard  of  truth.  And  it  were  well,  if 
both  the  openly  irreligious,  and  the  self-righteous,  would  serious- 
ly look  forward  to  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  and  consider  how 
the  doctrine  of  tlie  cross,  and  the  characters  of  those  who,  like 
Paul,  have  embraced  it,  will  then  appear,  and  whose  glorying 
will  best  stand  the  test  of  that  solemn  day. 

My  hearers,  many  of  you,  no  doubt,  entertain  hopes  of  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  and  of  eternal  happiness  in  heaven.  It  is  of 
infinite  importance,  that  your  hopes  should  be  such  as  will  not 
make  ashamed  in  the  trying  day.  Let  me  entreat  you,  then, 
faithfully  to  examine  the  foundation,  on  which  you  are  building. 
Paul,  before  his  conversion,  was  high  in  his  hope  of  eternal  life, 
and  boasted  himself  in  God.  But,  afterwards,  he  saw  that 
he  had  been  building,  not  upon  a  rock,  but  upon  the  sand.  Is 
your  hope  similar  to  that  which  Saul  the  Pharisee  had ;  or  is  it 
like  that  of  Paul,  the  devoted  servant  of  Jesus  Christ  .'*  Are  you 
trusting  in  yourselves  that  you  are  righteous  ?  Or,  do  you  utterly 
abjure  all  other  grounds  of  hope,  and  all  other  subjects  of  glory- 
ing, but  singly  the  ci'oss  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ^  If  your  hope 
rest  on  your  own  supposed  goodness,  you  may  assure  yourselves- 
it  is  no  better  tlian  the  spider's  web.  It  will  perish,  if  net  be- 
fore, yet,  certainly,  when  God  shall  take  away  the  soul.  If  you 
build  on  any  foundation,  other  than  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  cruci- 
fied, your  hope,  ere  long,  will  be  turned  into  despair,  and  your 
glorying   into   shame,  and  everlasting  contempt.     Consider  this, 

I  beseech  you;    and  let  it  lead  von  to  repent  and  believe   the 
31 


IG2  SERMON   XIll. 

gospel.  Renounce  all  refuges  of  lies,  and  turn  to  the  strong 
hold,  while  you  are  prisoners  of  hope.  But,  if  any  of  you  are 
building  your  hopes  only  on  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  have  really  fixed  your  hearts  on  this  foundation ;  then,  be 
assured,  your  hope  will  never  make  you  ashamed,  but  will  be 
as  an  anchor  to  your  soul,  sure  and  steadfast.  For  the  founda- 
tion, on  which  it  rests,  can  never  be  shaken ;  but  shall  be  estab- 
lished forever  as  the  moon,  and  as  a  faithful  ivitness  in  heaven. 


SERMON  XIV. 


r.OD  S   HOUSE  TO  BE  REVERENCED. 


ECCLESIASTES  V.   1. 

Keep  thy  foot  -when  thou  goest  to  the  house  of  God. 

JS  EVER  does  man  appear  with  higher  excellence  or  dignity, 
than  when  in  the  act  of  bowing  and  worshipping  before  the 
majesty  of  God.  He  is,  then,  no  longer  the  busy  trifler  of  a 
day,  the  ignoble  slave  of  appetite  and  sense,  the  mere  child  of 
the  dust;  but  he  appears  a  being  of  high  destination,  and  of  vast 
interests  and  concernments  ;  the  properties  of  his  earthly  nature 
are  absorbed  and  lost  in  the  exalted  attributes  of  his  heavenly ; 
and  he  rises  to  a  rank  but  little  inferiour  to  the  adoring  seraphim 
of  glory.  For  an  impressive  illustration  of  this  sentiment,  we 
are  naturally  referred  to  the  inspired  author  of  our  text.  It  was 
assigned  to  Solomon  to  build  an  house  for  Jehovah,  the  God  of 
Israel,  surpassing  in  magnificence  every  other  edifice  ever  reared 
by  man.  At  the  dedication  of  the  house,  he  assembled  the 
elders  of  Israel,  and  all  the  heads  of  the  tribes,  the  chief  of  the 
father'' s  of  the  children  of  Israel.  And  Solomon  stood  before  the 
altar  of  Jehovah,  in  the  presence  of  all  the  congregation  of  Israel, 
and  spread  forth  his  hands  towards'heaven,  and  said,  O  Jehovah, 
God  of  Israel,  there  is  no  God  like  thee,  in  heaven  above,  or  on 
earth  beneath,  who  keepest  covenant  and  mercy  ivith  thy  servants, 
iJiat  ivalk  before  thee  tvith  all  their  heart;  who  hast  kept  with  thu 


164  SERMON    XIV. 

servant  David,  my  father,  that  thou  promisedst  him;  thou  spakesi 
also  ivith  thy  mouth,  and  hast  fidjUled  it  with  thine  hand,  as  it  is 
this  day.  And  noic,  O  God  of  Israel,  let  thy  word,  I  pray  thee, 
he  verified,  which  thou  spakest  unto  thy  servant  David  my  father. 
But,  ivill  God  indeed  dwell  on  the  earth  ?  Behold,  the  heaven 
and  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain  thee  ;  how  much  less  this 
house  that  I  have  huilded  ?  Yet,  have  thou  respect  unto  the  prayer 
of  thy  servant,  and  unto  his  supplication,  O  Jehovah  my  God, 
to  hearken  unto  the  cry  and  to  the  prayer  which  thy  servant 
prayeth  before  thee  tO-day :  that  thine  eyes  may  be  open  toward 
this  house  night  and  day,  even  toward  the  place  of  which  thou  hast 
said,  My  name  shall  be  there.  Here,  my  brethren,  we  see  the 
glory  of  Solomon  ;  a  glory,  in  the  brightness  of  which,  the  glitter 
of  his  riches,  and  the  splendours  of  his  royal  state,  are  lost,  like 
the  glaring  tapers  of  niglit  in  the  effulgence  of  the  orb  of  day. 

As  Solomon  was  divinely  chosen  to  build  that  glorious  tem- 
ple, so  he  was  divinely  inspired  to  give  instruction  for  a  suitable 
attendance  in  any  house  built  for  God,  and  consecrated  for  his 
worship.  The  first  seven  verses  of  the  chapter  of  our  text,  are 
replete  with  most  important  instruction  to  this  effect ;  but  our 
attention,  at  present,  is  to  be  particularly  occupied  with  the  sin- 
gle direction.  Keep  thy  foot  ivhen  thou  goest  to  the  house  of  God. 

This  direction,  though  a  very  simple  one,  yet,  like  every 
connnand  of  God,  is  exceeding  broad.  It  is  generally  supposed^ 
perhaps,  that  the  expression  is  to  be  understood  in  a  figurative 
sense  ;  and  that,  by  keeping  the  foot  is  meant  keeping  the  heart. 
It  is  most  certain,  too,  that  the  heart  should  be  kept  with  all 
diligence  at  all  times,  and,  especially,  when  attending  at  the 
house  of  God.  The  expression  in  the  text,  however,  is  to  be 
taken,  I  believe,  in  its  literal  sense.  Keep,  look  to,  or  take  heed 
to,  thy  foot. 

It  was  a  religions  custom  of  great  antiquity,  to  look  to  the 
feet,  or  to  take  off  the  shoes,  at  sacred  places.  At  Horeb,  God 
called  to  Moses  out  of  the  burning  bush,  and  said.  Put  off  thy 
shots  from  off  thy  feet ;  for  the  place  whereon  thou  standest  is 
holy  ground.  Justin  Martyr,  in  his  second  apology  for  Chris- 
tianity, referring  to  the  custom  universally  observed  by  the  gen- 


Sermon  xiv.  igs 

tiles,  of  putting  off  their  shoes  at  their  temples,  tells  them  that 
this  custom  was  derived  h'oin  the  injunction  given  to  Moses. 
Probably,  indeed,  the  custom  was  of  earlier  date  than  the  lime 
of  Moses  ;  but  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  gentiles  received 
it  from  the  worshippers  of  the  true  God ;  and  that  it  was  very 
extensively  observed  in  the  gentile  world  is  evident,  not  only 
from  this  testimony  of  Justin,  but  from  many  other  tcslimonies 
to  the  same  effect.  A  celebrated  Jewish  Rabbi  says,  with  refer- 
ence to  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  "  That  it  was  not  lawful  for 
any  one  to  come  into  the  mountain  of  God's  house  with  hi? 
shoes  on  his  feet,  or  with  his  staff,  or  witli  his  working  garment, 
or  with  dust  on  his  feet."  This  custom  of  putting  off  the  shoes 
at  sacred  places  continues  in  the  East  to  the  present  day  ;  and  to 
this  custom,  undoubtedly,  Solomon  referred,  in  our  text.  In 
tlie  usage  of  the  East,  it  was  a  token  of  reverence  to  take  the 
shoes  from  the  feet,  as  it  is  now  with  us  to  uncover  the  head  ; 
and,  considering  the  difference  in  custom  in  different  ages,  and 
in  different  parts  of  the  world,  the  direction,  Keep  thy  foot,  or, 
Look  to  thy  foot,  meaning  to  put  off  the  shoes,  must  be  much 
the  same,  in  its  application  to  us,  as  if  it  were  expressed,  Keep 
thy  head,  or  Look  to  thy  head,  meaning  to  uncover  the  head, 
when  thou  goest  to  the  house  of  God. 

If  it  were  thus  expressed,  however,  we  certainly  should  not 
consider  it  as  limited  in  its  meaning  to  the  single  act  of  uncover- 
ing the  head ;  but  should  consider  it  as  expressing,  by  a  very 
usual  figure,  a  part  for  the  whole,  and  as  requiring  reverence  in 
the  whole  appearance  and  behaviour.  If  to  uncover  the  head 
were  distinctly  enjoined,  as  a  distinguished  token  of  reverence, 
it  would  very  plainly  imply,  that  the  whole  deportment  should 
be  reverential.  Nor  should  it  be  considered  as  limited  to  the 
outward  appearance  and  behaviour;  it  should  be  understood  as 
requiring  that  inward  veneration,  of  which  the  outward  reverent 
deportment  is  the  proper  expression.  It  were,  indeed,  a  palpa- 
ble solecism  in  religion,  and  a  direct  contradiction  of  the  literal 
meaning  of  our  text,  to  say,  that,  if  the  heart  be  right,  the  out- 
ward deportment  is  of  no  consequence.  There  is  a  congruity 
in  things ;  and  God  requires  outward  tokens,  as  v/ell  as  inward 


1C()  SERMON    XIV, 

sentiments  of  respect  and  homage.  It  is  a  standing  law  of  hiis 
house,  Let  all  things  be  done  decently  and  in  order.  Still,  he 
looks  at  the  heart ;  and  whatever  he  requires  of  outward  tokens 
of  reverence,  or  acts  of  worship,  he  requires  as  suitable  expres- 
sions of  inward  veneration  and  devotion. 

Look  to  thy  foot,  when  thou  goest,  or  when  thou  comest,  to 
the  house  of  God ;  not  only  when  approaching  the  house ;  but, 
also,  and  especially,  while  present  in  the  house.  The  house 
OF  GOD ; — the  house,  or  place,  where  the  publick  ordinances  of 
his  v/orship  are  usually  and  religiously  attended.  Such  was  the 
tabernacle  erected  in  the  wilderness ;  such  was  the  temple  built 
at  Jerusalem  ;  such  now  are  the  houses  sacredly  appropriated  to 
christian  worship. 

After  thus  much  said  in  exposition  of  the  text,  the  doctrinal 
sentiment,  which  obviously  presents  itself  for  our  more  particular 
consideration,  is  this;  viz.  The  most  profound  reverence 
BECOMES  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD.  To  illustrate  and  impress  this 
sentiment,  several  considerations  will  be  offered. 

1.  The  most  profound  reverence  becomes  the  house  of  God, 
because  it  is  God^s  house. 

The  universe,  indeed,  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulness  thereof; 
the  world,  and  all  things  around  us,  belong  to  him.  There  is, 
however,  a  special  sense,  in  which  a  house  of  publick  worship 
is  God's. 

The  tabernacle,  and  afterwards  the  temple,  with  their 
furniture  and  utensils  for  divine  service,  we  know,  were  the 
Lord's.  And  why  ^  Because  they  were  solemnly  set  apart,  and 
dedicated  to  him.  Nor  are  we  to  suppose  that  the  practice  of 
dedicating  houses,  or  places  of  worship,  to  God,  commenced 
with  the  dedication  of  the  tabernacle.  It  was  a  practice,  un- 
doubtedly, of  much  earlier  origin.  Adam,  and  his  family,  ap- 
pear to  have  had  a  particular  place  of  worship,  where  they  regu- 
larly offered  their  sacrifices,  and  attended  upon  such  ordinances 
of  divine  service  as  were  then  instituted.  From  that  sacred 
place,  Cain,  after  his  murder  of  Abel,  departed.  He  went  out 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord ;  from  the  place  where  God's 
name  was  recorded,  where  the  sacred  rites  of  his  worship  were 


SERMON    XIV.  107 

solemnized,  and  where  he  was  pleased  to  vouchsafe  the  tokens 
of  his  special  presence.  Noah,  imniediiUely  after  leaving  the 
ai*k,  builded  an  altar  unto  the  Lord,  and  thus  consecrated  a  place 
for  divine  worship.  Places  for  divine  worship  were  also  conse- 
crated by  the  patriarchs,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  wherever 
they  pitched  their  tents,  Jacob,  at  Bethel,  solemnly  vowfed  a 
place  for  divine  worship,  by  the  name  of  God^s  house,  where  he 
would  devoutly  pay  the  tithes  of  all  that  God  should  give  him. 
From  the  earliest  times,  then,  it  was  the  practice  to  dedicate 
houses,  or  places,  to  God,  for  the  special  ordinances  of  his  wor- 
ship. Those  houses,  or  places,  had  God's  name  upon  them, 
and  were  holy.  This  religious  custom  is  still  continued,  under 
the  christian  dispensation.  Jehovah  has  never  revoked  the  gra- 
cious assurance.  In  all  places  where  I  record  my  name,  I  will 
<;ome  unto  thee,  and  I  will  bless  thee. 

We  well  remember,  that  the  offerings  anciently  presented  to 
God  were  of  two  different  kinds  ;  the  most  holy,  and  the  simply 
holy.  The  most  holy  offerings  were  not  only  dedicated  to  God, 
but  were  typical,  also,  of  the  one  offering  and  sacrifice  to  be 
made  by  Christ.  The  simply  holy  offerings  became  holy,  only 
by  their  sacred  dedication  to  God,  These  were  offerings,  not 
of  a  typical,  but  of  a  moral  nature ;  and  were  dedicated  to  God, 
in  religious  acknowledgment  of  him,  as  the  rightful  Lord  and 
Sovereign  of  the  world.  Offerings  of  this  kind  have  never  been 
abolished.  Of  this  nature  were  the  tenths  of  all  increase,  the 
first  fruits,  and  various  occasional  free  will  offerings.  And  of 
this  nature,  precisely,  are  houses  now  built  for  God,  and  dedi- 
cated to  him.  We  all  know,  my  brethren,  that  houses  are  thus 
built,  and  solemnly  dedicated.  Are  they  not,  then,  holy.'  Is 
not  God's  name  recorded  in  them  .''  Are  they  not,  in  a  special 
and  sacred  sense,  his  ? 

But,  my  brethren,  if  this  is  God's  house,  is  it  not  obvious 
that  the  most  profound  reverence  becomes  it,  for  this  very  rea- 
son ?  Are  not  the  houses  of  the  great  and  mighty  men  of  the 
earth;  are  not  the  palaces  of  princes  and  kings,  regarded  with 
respect  ?  Are  they  not  usually  approached  and  entered  with 
awe.''  Is  not,  tlien,  the  house  of  the  great  God,  the  Lord  oflord.% 


1G6  SERMON    XIV. 

and  the  King  of  Icings, — a  house  solemnly  conseciated  to  his 
service,  in  which  the  sacred  rites  of  his  worship  are  to  be  per- 
Ibrined,  and  where  he  condescends  to  record  his  name, — to  be 
regarded  with  the  most  profound  veneration  ?  And  does  it  not 
behoove  every  one,  who  comes  to  this  house,  soler.Tnly  to  re- 
member this  high  injunction  of  Jehovah,  Thou  shalt  reverenct 
my  sanciuary  ? 

n.  The  most  profound  reverence  becomes  the  house  of  God, 
because  of  his  special  presence. 

Essentially,  indeed,  God  is  present  in  every  place.  Do  not 
I  Jill  heaven  and  earth  ?  saith  Jehovah.  Yet,  there  is  a  more 
special  sense,  in  which  he  is  pleased  to  vouchsafe  his  presence 
in  his  sanctuary.  His  own  gracious  declaration  is.  In  all  places. 
where  I  record  my  name,  I  will  come  unto  thee,  and  I  will  bless 
thee.  Anciently,  wherever  his  name  was  recorded,  his  special 
presence  was  manifested.  In  the  tabernacle,  and  in  the  temple, 
he  held  a  special  residence,  and  dwelt  in  the  well  known  tokens 
of  his  presence,  the  bright  pillar  of  cloud,  between  the  cheru- 
bim, on  the  mercy  seat.  Nor  has  he,  in  these  last  ages,  forsaken 
the  earth,  or  withdrawn  his  presence  from  his  house  of  prayer. 
When  our  Saviour  ascended  on  high,  he  received  gifts  for  men  ; 
yea,  for  the  rebellious  also,  that  the  Lord  God  might  dwell  among 
them.  Still,  Jehovah  loveth  the  gates  of  Zion  more  than  all  the 
dwellings  of  Jacob.  For  the  Lord  hath  chosen  Zion;  he  hath 
desired  it  for  his  habitation.  This,  saith  he,  is  my  rest  forever  ; 
here  ivill  I  dwell ;  for  I  have  desired  it.  I  will  abundantly  bless 
her  provision  ;  I  will  satisfy  her  poor  with  bread.  I  will  also 
clothe  her  priests  with  salvation,  and  her  saints  shall  shout  aloud 

for  joy. 

According  to  the  scriptures,  God's  special  presence  is  dis- 
tinguished by  attendant  angels.  Angels  were  seen  by  Jacob  at 
Bethel;  and,  from  his  vision  of  them,  he  was  led  to  say,  How 
dreadful  is  this  place !  This  is  none  other  but  the  house  of  God, 
and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven.  Angels  descended  with  God 
upon  Mount  Sinai.  Angels  were  represented  as  constant  at- 
tendants on  the  divine  presence  in  the  tabernacle,  and  in  the 
temple  ;  and  hence  the  Psalmist  of  Israel  said,  Before  the  angels 


SERMON    XIV.  169 

idill  I  sing  praise  unto  thee  ;  I  will  loorship  toward  thy  holy  tem- 
ple, and  sing  praise  unto  thee.  Nor  is  it  to  be  doubted,  that 
this  heavenly  retinue  attends  the  divine  presence  in  the  chris- 
tian churches.  Hereafter,  said  our  Lord  to  Nathanael,  ye  shall 
see  heaven  open,  and  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descend- 
ing upon  the  Son  of  Man.  St.  Paul  enjoins  the  Corinthians  to 
observe  decency  in  their  publick  assemblies,  because  of  the  an- 
gels ;  doubtless  meaning  the  angels  there  present.  "  Think," 
says  an  early  father  of  the  church,  "  Tliink  near  whom  thou 
standest,  with  whom  thou  invokest  God;  viz.  with  cherubim 
and  seraphim,  and  all  the  powers  of  heaven.  Let  it  be  suffi- 
cient to  persuade  thee  to  sobriety,  when  thou  reraemberest  that 
thou,  who  art  compounded  of  flesh  and  blood,  art  admitted  with 
the  incorporeal  powers,  to  celebrate  the  common  Lord  of  all. 
When  thou  goest  into  a  king's  palace,  thou  composest  thyself  to 
♦  comeliness  in  thy  habit,  in  thy  look,  in  thy  gait,  in  thy  whole 
deportment.  But  here  is  indeed  the  palace  of  a  King,  and  the 
like  attendance  to  that  in  heaven.  And  dost  thou  then  laugh  f 
Dost  thou  use  levity  ?  I  know  well  enough  thou  seest  it  not ; 
but  hear  me,  and  know,  that  angels  are  present  in  the  house  of 
God,  attending  upon  their  King,  where  all  is  filled  witli  these 
incorporeal  powers." 

Yes,  my  brethren,  were  not  our  spirhual  vision  obstructed 
ty  the  gross  vail  of  flesh,  we  might  even  now  see  heaven  open, 
the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending,  and  this  sacred 
house  filled  with  a  divine  glory,  ineffably  resplendent  and  awful. 
For,  verily,  we  are  here  come  unto  Mount  Zion,  and  unto  the 
eity  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innvr- 
merable  company  of  angels,  to  the  general  assembly  and  church 
of  the  firstborn,  which  are  written  in  heaven,  and  to  God  the 
Judge  of  all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and  to 
Jesus  the  mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  the  blood  of 
sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better  things  than  the  blood  of  Abel. 
Yes,  God  is  here ;  and  his  presence  is  accompanied,  not  onlv 
with  his  heavenly  retinue  of  angels,  but  with  the  gracious  influ- 
ences of  his  Holy  Spirit,  to  give  life  and  effect  to  his  word  and 
©rdinances,  either  for  salvation,  or  for  a  greater  condemnation? 
3^ 


171}  SERMON   XIV. 

Does   not,  then,   the  most  profound  reverence  becoiue  this  holy 


place  ? 

III.  The  most  profound  reverence  becomes  the  house  of 
God,  on  account  of  the  great  purposes  for  which  he  is  present. 

For  what,  then,  is  God  specially  present  in  Jiis  house  f — Ah, 
my  brethren,  he  is  present  for  purposes  of  the  highest  interest, 
and  the  most  awful  solemnity.  He  is  present  to  observe  the 
motives  and  views,  the  dispositions  and  conduct,  of  all  who  come 
into  his  house.  His  eye,  like  a  flame  of  fire,  pervades  the  whole 
assembly,  and  penetrates  the  inmost  recesses  of  every  heart. 
He  notices  the  broken  spirit,  the  tender  thought,  the  trembiing 
hope,  the  rising  desire  for  his  grace  and  love.  He  notices,  alsOy 
the  hardened  feehng,  the  unbelief,  the  stupid  thoughtlessness, 
the  levity  of  mind  and  behaviour,  the  contempt  of  himself,  and 
profanation  of  his  house,  which  any  may  indulge.  He  is  pres- 
ent, to  discern  between  his  friends  and  his  enemies,  between  the 
sincere  and  the  hypocritical,  between  the  true  worshippers  and 
the  false  ;  and  exactly  to  note  the  characters  and  the  cases  of  all. 
He  is  present,  to  make  a  general  tender  of  the  blessings  of  his 
gospel  and  kingdom,  and  to  dispense  unto  all,  as  they  will  come 
and  receive  :  to  comfort  those  tvho  mourn  in  Zion  /  to  revive 
the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  the  heart  of  the  contrite  ones ;  to 
give  strength  to  those  who  are  weak  in  faith,  and  light  to  those 
who  walk  in  darkness ;  to  give  pardon  to  the  penitent,  his  Holy 
Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him,  and  the  joys  of  his  salvation  to  such 
as  humbly  and  believingly  wait  upon  him.  And,  my  brethren, 
how  solemn  a  scene  is  this !  How  solemn  to  see  a  mixed  assem- 
bly of  our  fallen  race,  an  assembly  composed  of  saints  and  sin- 
ners, with  different  motives,  and  feelings,  and  views,  convened 
together  in  the  house  of  God,  while  he  himself  is  present  to 
search  their  hearts  and  try  their  ways,  to  mark  their  conditions 
iand  characters,  and  to  note  their  thoughts  and  feelings,  motives 
and  actions,  for  the  judgment  of  the  great  day.  Who,  that  has 
any  proper  sense  of  the  solemnity  of  the  scene,  can  fail  to  be 
Impressed  with  the  most  serious  awe,  or  to  show,  in  all  liis  de- 
portment, the  most  religious  veneration  ? 


SERMON    XIV.  171 

IV.  The  most  profound  reverence  becomes  the  house  of 
God,  on  account  of  the  sacredness  of  the  services  tliere  per- 
formed. 

For  what"  purpose,  my  brethren,  do  we  professedly  come, 
from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  to  this  sacred  place  ?  Is  it  not  to  per- 
form divine  sendee  ?  Is  it  not  to  attend  on  the  ordinances  of 
■divine  worship  ?  Is  it  not  to  sing  praises  to  the  Most  High  ;  to 
offer  unto  him,  in  united  prayer,  our  confessions,  acknowledg- 
ments, and  supplications ;  to  hear  the  messages  of  his  grace,  the 
instructions  of  his  word ;  and  to  receive  the  seals  of  his  everlast- 
ing covenant  ?  And  does  not  reverence, — reverence  in  heart, 
and  in  all  our  de|)ortmentj  always  become  us,  when  attending 
upon  these  services.'' 

The  God,  into  whose  presence  we  here  come,  and  in  whose 
worship  we  here  engage,  is  glorious  in  holiness,  and  fearful  in 
praises.  How  shall  we,  polluted  worms  of  the  dust,  take  his 
high  praises  on  our  tongues.'*  How  shall  we  take  upon  us  to 
celebrate  the  perfections,  the  glories,  the  wonderful  works,  of 
him  who  inhabiteth  eternity,  and  ivhose  name  is  holy  ?  Yet  this 
he  has  made  our  duty,  and  our  privilege  ;  and  this  we  professed- 
ly attempt,  when  we  come  to  his  house.  In  our  sacred  songs, 
we  utter  the  high  praises  of  God ;  we  celebrate  his  excellent 
greatness,  his  venerable  majesty,  his  infinite  justice,  mercy,  truth, 
and  grace  ;  his  goodness,  and  his  ivonderful  works  to  the  children 
of  men.  At  the  same  time,  we  express  our  dependence  on  him, 
as  our  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Redeemer ;  our  unworthiness  of 
the  least  of  his  favours ;  our  everlasting  obligations  to  him,  for 
his  unspeakable  blessings  in  Christ ;  our  confidence  in  liis  provi- 
dence, and  hope  in  his  gospel ;  and  om-  desires  to  be  his,  and  to 
serve  and  enjoy  him  forever.  Does  not  profound  reverence  be- 
come this  service .'' 

Not  less  solemn,  and  impressively  important,  is  the  service 
of  publick  prayer.  In  this  duty,  indeed,  we  express,  substan- 
tially, though  in  a  different  manner,  all  that  we  express  in  our 
sacred  songs  ;  our  devout  adoration  of  God,  for  his  glorious  per- 
fections and  works, — our  grateful  acknowledgments  to  him,  for 
.  his  great  and  innumerable  benefits, — our  holy  delight,  and  hope. 


172  SERMON    XIV. 

and  confidence,  and  joy  in  him.  But,  more  especially  in  prayer 
do  we  confess  before  God,  the  holy  Majesty  of  the  universe,  the 
corruption  of  our  natures,  our  numberless  sins  against  him,  and 
our  desert  of  his  everlasting  indignation  and  wrath-;  and  humbly 
implore  his  pai'doning  mercy  and  grace,  in  the  divine  Redeemer, 
the  influences  of  his  Holy  Spirit  to  renew  us  in  righteousness  and 
true  holiness,  after  his  own  image,  and  the  fulness  of  his  God- 
head and  kingdom,  for  our  portion  and  inheritance  forever. 
How  solemn  a  service,  my  brethren,  is  this  !  How  solemn,  for 
creatures  such  as  we,  chargeable  with  infinite  guilt,  and  deserv- 
ing eternal  wo,  thus  publickly,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  uni- 
verse, to  present  ourselves  before  the  mercy  seat  of  God,  pray- 
ing, in  the  name  of  his  Son,  who  has  died  for  us,  for  pardon,  and 
for  life.  With  what  reverence  of  heart,  of  appearance,  and  of 
behaviour,  should  this  solemn  service  be  performed ! 

A  solemn  service  also  it  is,  to  attend  on  the  ministration  of 
God's  word.  It  is  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching,  it  is  by  the 
ministration  of  the  gospel,  that  God  has  especially  appointed  to 
save  them  that  believe.  In  his  preached  gospel,  he  sets  before 
us  his  character  and  his  glory ;  his  justice,  his  truth,  and  his 
grace  ;  the  perfect  rectitude,  and  tremendous  sanctions  of  his 
law;  his  infinite  abhorrence  of  sin,  and  his  unalterable  deter- 
mination to  punish  the  impenitent  sinner ;  the  unbounded  riches 
of  his  grace,  and  the  glorious  way  opened  by  his  Son  for  our 
pardon  and  salvation ;  tlie  safety  of  all  who  beheve,  and  the 
danger  of  those  who  believe  not ;  the  amazing  scenes  of  the  finaJ 
judgment ;  the  eternal  joys  of  heaven,  and  the  eternal  woes  of 
hell.  Such,  in  brief,  is  the  purport  of  the  preached  gospel;  such 
is  the  ministration  of  the  gospel,  on  which  we  attend  in  the  house 
of  God.     Does  it  not  demand  reverence  ? 

Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  are  more  special  ordinances 
of  God's  house.  In  baptism  is  symbolically  represented  the 
washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
the  interest  of  God's  people  in  the  everlasting  covenant.  In  tlie 
holy  supper,  Jesus  Christ  is  evidently  set  forth  crucified  among 
us.  The  sacred  elements  symbolically  represent  his  body  and 
Hlood  sacrificially  offered  for  the  redemption  and  life  of  the 


SERMON  XIV.  17^ 

tvorld ;  and,  in  attending  upon  this  ordinance,  we  piiblickly  ac- 
knowledge the  sacrifice,  and  set  to  our  seal  that  through  this 
atonement,  and  in  this  way  only,  there  is  pardon  and  salvation 
for  men. 

Who,  then,  my  brethren,  can  seriously  consider  these  sacred 
services,  these  holy  ordinances  of  God's  house,  and  not  be  deep- 
ly impressed  with  religious  awe  ?  Look  up,  for  a  moment,  and 
contemplate  the  worship  of  heaven.  Myriads  on  myriads  of 
•holy  beings,  in  adoring  prostration  before  the  throne,  and  crying, 
with  one  voice,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  God  Almighty,  the 
xvhole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory  I  It  is  in  the  presence  of  the  same 
fearful  and  glorious  God  that  we  worship ;  it  is  upon  his  ordi- 
nances that  we  attend ;  and  what  an  astonishment  must  we  be  to 
all  the  multitude  of  the  heavenly  worshippers,  and  especially  to 
those  who  frequent  this  holy  place,  and  witness  the  manner  of 
dur  worship,  if  we  attend  upon  these  services  without  reverence  ! 

V.  The  most  profound  reverence  becomes  the  house  of 
God,  on  account  of  tlie  momentous  concerns  here  transacted, 
and  their  intimate  connection  with  the  decisions  of  the  judgment 
day. 

Here,  in  the  house  of  God,  are  transacted  the  vast,  the 
amazing  concerns  of  mercy  and  of  judgment ;  the  concerns  of 
our  sQuls  for  eternity.  There  is  not  a  person  present,  who  is 
not  deeply  interested  in  what  is  here  pending.  Not  one,  whose- 
"welfare  for  eternity  is  not  at  stake.  Not  one,  whose  eternal 
happiness,  or  eternal  misery,  is  not  depending  on  his  acceptance 
or  refusal  of  the  grace  here  publickly  displayed.  Yes,  my 
hearers,  however  lightly  any  of  you  may  regard  it,  you  have  all 
a  deep,  an  infinite  interest,  in  these  solemn  transactions ;  and 
this  day,  even  your  attendance  on  the  present  solemnity,  may 
decide  your  character,  and  your  state  forever.  God  is  here, 
ready  to  impart  all  the  blessings  of  liis  gospel.  If  you  truly  ac- 
cept of  the  mercy  here  offered  in  Christ  our  Saviour,  your  eter- 
nal salvation  is  sure.  If  you  refuse,  if  you  this  day  refuse,  your 
opportunity  may  be  lost,  and  your  eternal  condemnation  may  be 
finally  sealed.  Intimate,  indeed  is  the  connection  of  these 
solemnities  of  th^  house  of  God,  witji  those  of  die  tribunal  o( 


174  SERMON    XIV. 

filial  judgnieiit.  Your  characters  are  here  forming — shall  I  say, 
are  determining  ?  God  is  witness,  and  angels  are  witnesses,  of 
your  temper  and  conduct ;  and,  accordingly  as  you  treat  the 
gospel,  and  the  solemnities  of  divine  worship  here,  will  be  the 
retributions  severally  awarded  to  you,  at  the  great  and  final  day. 
Then,  the  books  will  be  opened,  and  the  whole  scene  of  your 
attendance  at  the  house  of  God,  together  with  all  the  deeds  done 
in  the  body,  wih  be  fully  disclosed,  in  the  presence  of  assembled 
worlds,  to  your  unspeakable  joy",  or  to  your  unutterable  confu- 
sion. Does  not  reverence,  then,  the  most  profound  reverence, 
become  this  holy  and  awful  place  ? 

RKFLECTiONS. 

1.  That  we  may  appear  before  God  in  his  house  in  a  right 
manner,  great  attention  and  care  are  requisite. 

Keejy,  or  look  to,  thy  foot,  when  thou  goest  to  the  house 
of  God.  Doubtless  this  does  not  refer  merely  to  the  time  of 
going,  but  also  to  the  time  of  being  present.  It  does,  however, 
?7eem  to  respect  the  former  as  well  as  the  latter.  And  evidently, 
my  hearers,  it  must  be  highly  suitable  that,  when  we  are  going, 
or  coming  to  the  house  of  God,  we  should  use  care  in  preparing 
ourselves  for  this  holy  place.  Were  you  going  to  the  house  of  a 
ruler,  to  the  palace  of  a  king,  and,  especially,  were  you  going 
thither  on  business  involving  hfe  or  death,  would  you  not  think 
particular  preparation  requisite  ?  Would  you  not  carefully  con- 
sider where  you  were  going,  for  what  purpose,  and  how  it  would 
become  you  to  deport  yourselves  when  there  ?  And  is  not  some 
^reparation  of  this  kind  even  more  necessary,  when  going  to  the 
house  of  God  ?  Shall  we  attire  ourselves  for  the  occasion,  with- 
out any  attention  to  the  frame  of  our  hearts  and  minds .''  Shall 
we  set  out  and  pass  on,  without  any  serious  recollection,  indulg- 
ing levity  of  mind  and  of  appearance .''  Shall  we  enter  the  holy 
place,  without  any  impression,  or  thought  of  its  sacredness,  or  of 
the  awful  majesty  of  Him,  whose  house  it  is,  and  into  whose 
presence  we  approach  ?  While  attending  here,  shall  we  indulge 
ourselves  in  the  same  irreverence  and  thoughtlessness  r  And, 
when  the  solemn  service  is  closed,  shall  we  depart,  unconcerned 


SERMON    XIV,  175 

whether  we  have  appeared  before  God  with  acceptance,  or  not  j 
whether  we  depart  with  his  blessing,  or  under  his  curse  ?  Cer- 
tainly, my  hearers,  great  care  and  attention  become  us  tlnough 
the  whole.  Our  thoughts  should  be  collected  ;  our  minds  should 
be  serious ;  our  whole  deportment,  every  motion,  every  posture, 
every  action,  every  look,  should  be  expressive  of  reverence. 
We  should  take  heed  to  our  feet,  to  our  heads,  to  oar  eyes,  to 
our  hands,  that  in  nothing  we  violate  the  sacredness,  disturb  the 
solemnity,  or  trespass  upon  the  decency,  becoming  this  holy 
place.  Especially  should  we  take  heed  to  our  hearts,  to  keep 
them  with  all  diligence,  that  in  our  inward  frame,  as  well  as  in 
our  outward  deportment,  we  may  be  acceptable  to  him,  before 
whom  the  seraphim  of  heaven  cover  their  faces. 

2.  How  important  it  is,  that  all  who  attend  at  the  house  of 
God  should  reahze  the  momentous  nature  of  the  services  there- 
performed,  and  duly  join  in  them. 

My  hearers,  have  you  accustomed  yourselves  seriously  ta 
reflect  on  the  nature  and  import  of  these  services.^  And  is  it, 
habitually,  a  matter  of  serious  concern  with  you  rightly  to  join  in 
them  ?  Have  you  considered  the  high  import  of  our  sacred  songs 
of  praise ;  and  when  they  have  been  sung,  though  you  may  not 
have  taken  a  vocal  part  in  them,  have  you,  nevertheless,  made 
melody  in  your  heart  to  the  Lord  ?  And  let  me  affectionately 
ask  those  of  you,  especially,  who  perform  the  vocal  part  of  this 
service,  whether  you  duly  consider  the  words  which  you  utter ; 
whether  your  hearts  unite  with  your  voices,  in  the  high  praises 
of  God  ;  and  whether  you  sufficiently  take  heed  to  yourselves^ 
that  He,  who  is  fearful  in  praises,  shall  see  nothing  in  you  un- 
becoming the  conspicuous  and  important  seats  which  you  occupy 
in  his  house  ^  Nothing,  surely,  could  be  more  incompatible  with 
every  sentiment  of  propriety,  than  that  they,  who  outwardly 
perform  this  heavenly  service,  should  show,  by  any  irregularity^ 
or  levity  of  deportment,  that  they  have  no  inward  reverence  for 
God,  his  house,  or  his  worship.  Happy  for  you,  if  you  so  sing 
his  praises  here,  as  hereafter  to  bear  a  j-.art  in  the  songs  of  his 
heavenly  temple.  And  happy,  my  hearers,  for  you  all,  if  you 
-o  offer  prajse.   if  it  be  only  in  heart,  as  to  glorify  God^  ;\nd  be. 


176  SERMON   XIV. 

accepted  with  liim. — Have  you  considered  the  solemn  and  in- 
teresting nature  of  our  publick  prayers  ?  And,  when  prayer  iS 
offered,  do  you  really  and  devoutly  join  in  adoring  the  glorious 
perfections  of  God  ;  in  confessing  unworthiness  and  sin  before 
him ;  in  imploring  his  pardoning  and  sanctifying  grace,  through 
the  great  Redeemer ;  in  gratefully  acknowledging  his  number- 
less favours ;  and  in  requesting  a  continuance  and  diffusion  of 
the  blessings  of  his  providence  and  of  his  gospel  f  It  is  greatly 
to  be  feared,  that  the  exercise  of  prayer  is,  in  general,  but  very 
inadequately  appreciated.  Many  seem  not  to  consider,  that  we 
come  to  the  house  of  God  to  worship,  and  that  a  very  principal 
part  of  worship  consists  in  prayer.  Hence,  to  them,  this  im- 
portant exercise  is  likely  to  be  uninteresting  and  tedious.  But, 
my  hearers,  it  becomes  us  to  remember,  that  God's  house  is  a 
house  of  prayer  ;  and  if  our  minds  are  not  in  a  state  to  join  and 
take  an  interest  in  the  prayers,  we  are  hut  ill  prepared  for  other 
services,  and  have  much  reason  to  fear  that  we  shall  derive  no 
real  or  lasting  benefit  from  them.  By  most  people,  probably, 
the  sermon  is  regarded  as  the  principal  thing,  in  the  religious^ 
exercises  of  the  house  of  God.  It  is  to  be  feared,  however,  that^ 
as  many  go  to  the  house  of  God,  as  they  would  go  to  a  concert, 
to  hear  the  musick,  so  many  go,  as  they  would  go  to  a  pleading 
or  to  an  oration,  to  hear  the  reasoning,  or  the  eloquence.  But, 
my  hearers,  the  design  of  preaching  is  not  to  make  an  exhibition 
of  excellency  of  speech,  or  of  man's  wisdom  ;  it  is  not  to  make  a 
display  of  the  powers  of  reasoning,  or  of  the  charms  of  elo- 
quence ;  and,  to  frequent  the  house  of  God  only,  or  chiefly,  for 
the  sake  of  being  amused  and  entertained,  is,  in  effect,  to  turn 
this  holy  place  to  the  purposes  of  a  theatre.  The  design  of 
preaching  is  to  convince  men  of  their  natural  state  of  sin  and 
condemnation  ;  to  show  them  the  way  opened  by  divine  wisdom 
and  grace  for  their  recovery ;  to  persuade  them  to  become 
reconciled  to  God,  obedient  in  all  things  to  his  holy  gospel,  and 
wise" for  the  high  purposes  of  his  everlasting  kingdom.  Corres- 
pondent to  this  design  should  be  their  desires  and  views  in  hear- 
ing ;  and,  how  much  soever  they;  may  be  pleased  and  entertain- 
eii ;  through  the  preacher  may  be  imto  them  as  a  very  lovely  song 


SERMON  XIV.  177 

of  one  that  hath  a  pleasant  voice,  and  can  play  ivell  on  an  in" 
strument ;  yet,  if  their  minds  are  not  enlightened,  if  their  con- 
sciences are  not  impressed,  if  their  hearts  are  not  subdued,  by 
the  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  if  they  are  not  incited  to  be  doers 
as  well  as  hearers  of  the  word,  they  should  solemnly  reflect,  that 
they  hear  to  no  purpose,  which  God,  in  whose  presence,  and 
under  whose  eye,  they  sit  in  his  house,  can  approve. 

Most  sacred,  my  brethren,  and  infinitely  momentous  are  all 
these  exercises  of  God's  house ;  and,  surely,  for  persons  to  at- 
tend here,  and,  as  if  they  had  no  interest  in  these  exercises,  al- 
low themselves  to  pass  the  time  in  listless  inattention,  in  thinking 
of  the  world  and  the  things  of  the  world,  or  in  seeking  nothing 
higher  than  present  amusement,  or  entertainment,  must  be  ex- 
ceedingly offensive  to  God,  and  dangerous  to  their  own  souls. 
If  such  has  been  the  manner  of  your  attendance,  can  you  won- 
der if  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel  has  not  yet  been  blessed  to 
your  salvation .'' 

3.  It  should  not  be  thought  strange  that  the  people  of  God 
love  his  house. 

How  amiable  are  thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  of  hosts.  My 
soul  longeth,  yea  even  fainteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord  ;  my 
heart  and  my  flesh  crieth  out  for  the  living  God.  One  tMng 
have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek  after,  that  I  may  dwell 
in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  to  behold  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple.  Such  were 
the  fervent  breathings  of  ancient  piety ;  and  such  is  the  common 
language  of  the  truly  pious  heart.  The  people  of  God  love  his 
house,  and  scarcely  can  they  feel  a  greater  or  more  painful  pri- 
vation, than  they  feel,  when  denied  the  privilege  of  going  thither. 
Nor  is  this  any  matter  of  wonder  ;  for  it  is  their  Father's  house  j 
it  is  the  place  where  his  name  is  recorded,  and  where  his  hon- 
our dwells ;  where  he  is  wont  to  manifest  his  presence,  to  show 
feis  glory,  and  to  impart  the  joys  of  his  salvation ',  where  they 
receive  their  best  refreshments,  the  richest  communications  of 
light  and  grace  ;  and  where,  under  the  sanctify uig  influences  of 
the  word  and  spirit,  they  are  progressively  fitting  for  the  puree 
and  sublimer  services  of  the  hoavenlv  Zion.     Blessed,  then,  «r-« 


178  SERMON  XIV, 

they,  who  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord.  For  they  that  he 
planted  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  flourish  in  the  courts  of 
our  God.  They  go  from  strength  to  strength  ;  every  one  of  them 
in  Zion  appeareth  before  God.  The  Lord  is  a  sun  and  shield ; 
the  Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory  ;  and  no  good  thing  will  he 
withhold  from  them  that  walk  uprightly.  God  grant,  my  hearers, 
that  every  one  of  you  naay  know  this  blessedness.  May  he  im- 
part of  his  grace  to  you,  that  you  may  keep  your  feet,  when  you 
come  to  his  house,  be  more  ready  to  hear,  or  obey,  than  to  offer 
the  sacrifice  of  fools,  and  so  attend  upon  the  ordinances  of  his 
worship  here,  that,  when  he  writeth  up  his  people,  he  may  count 
of  you,  in  reference  to  this  house,  that  this  and  that  man  was 
born  there.  May  the  singers  and  players  on  instruments  be 
there,  and  all  of  us  meet  in  the  temple  of  his  heavenly  glory 
with  exceeding  joy ;  for  Jesus'  sake.     Amen. 


SERMON  XV. 


JESUS  AT  THE  GRAVE  OF  LAZAKUS. 


John  xi.  35. 
Jesus  Wept. 

JLT  is  a  world  of  sorrow.  It  is  a  vale  of  tears.  Man  is  horn 
unto  trouble,  as  the  sparks  fly  upward; — for  heaven  frowns  on 
his  apostacy.  Reason  enough  there  is,  that  man  should  weep ; 
and  who  of  our  fallen  race  has  lived  on  earth  and  never  wept  ? 
But  why  should  Jesus  weep  ^  He  was  holy^  harmless,  undefiled, 
and  separate  from  sinners.  He  was  the  Son  of  God,  beloved  by 
the  Father,  adored  by  angels,  and  heir  of  all  things.  Sinful 
men  might  weep ;  if  angels  had  tears,  angels  might  weep  :  but 
what  were  it  to  see  the  world  in  tears,  compared  with  seeing  the 
Lord  of  life  and  glory  weep  ?  Yet,  affecting  fact,  Jesus  wept ! — 
He  came  into  our  world,  he  partook  of  our  nature,  and  in  all 
things,  sin  excepted,  was  made  like  unto  his  brethren,  that  he 
might  be  a  merciful  and  faithful  high  priest,  who  could  be  touch- 
ed with  a  feeling  of  our  infirmities. 

The  tender  story,  with  which  the  text  is  connected,  you  re- 
member, my  brethren,  too  well  to  need  a  particular  recital. 
Jesus  loved  Martha,  and  her  sister,  and  Lazarus.  Lazarus  fell 
sick  and  died.  Four  days  after  his  death,  Jesus  came  to  Beth- 
any. On  his  arrival,  he  found  the  two  affectionate  sisters,  with 
many  others,  who  had  come  to  comfort  them,  overwhelmed  with 


180  SERMON  XV. 

sorrow.  Hlien  he  saw  the  sisters  weeping,  and  the  Jews  also 
weeping,  he  groaned  in  the  spirit,  and  was  troubled.  And  he 
said,  Where  have  ye  laid  him  ?  They  say  unto  him.  Lord,  come 
and  see,  Jesus  wept.  The  particular  reason  of  his  tears  is 
not  distinctly  mentioned  ;  but  it  may  be  proper  to  consider  on 
what  accounts  he  might,  on  this  occasion,  weep ;  and  then  the 
subject  may  afford  us  some  useful  lessons  and  reflections. 

I.  Jesus  might,  on  this  occasion,  weep  on  account  of  the 
feign  of  death. 

He  was  now  going  to  a  grave,  to  a  spot,  where  death  had 
just  been  erecting  a  new  trophy.  The  sad  monument  before 
him  was  calculated  to  bring  to  his  mind  the  universal  triumph  of 
that  great  destroyer. 

But  a  few  days  before,  Lazarus  was  in  health,  in  the  prime 
and  vigour  of  life,  and  in  the  midst  of  terrestrial  enjoyments  and 
pursuits.  But  now,  iiow  changed  was  the  scene !  Seized  by 
the  ruthless  hand  of  the  king  of  terrors,  he  was  torn  from  the 
world,  and  laid  low  in  the  dust.  His  earthly  course  seemed  to 
be  finished,  his  purposes  were  broken,  his  prospects  were  cut 
off;  and  that  body,  which  but  lately  was  so  vigorous,  and  active, 
and  beloved,  now  a  lifeless  and  loathsome  corse,  was  deposited 
in  the  dark  and  silent  tomb.  Sad  change  indeed !  Melancholy 
catastrophe  !  In  this  sad  change,  however,  in  this  melancholy 
catastrophe,  Lazarus  was  not  singular.  Early  was  the  sentence 
pronounced,  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return; 
and,  from  age  to  age,  the  generations  of  men  had  been  swept 
away  as  by  a  flood.  Already  were  uncounted  millions  moulder- 
ing in  the  dust.  Already  had  the  wide  earth  become  as  one 
vast  and  dismal  cemetery,  where  the  high  and  the  low,  the  rich 
and  the  poor,  the  aged  and  the  young,  were  lying  in  promiscuous 
ruin.  Nor  was  the  desolation  to  stop  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus. 
But,  while  Jesus  stood  there,  other  graves,  in  different  parts  of 
the  world,  were  opening,  into  which  victim.s  of  different  ages 
and  conditions,  from  the  tender  infant  to  the  man  of  gray  hairs, 
and  from  the  beggar  to  the  monarch,  were  falling.  All,  who 
were  then  living  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  were  soon  to 
foUpw ;  and  death  was  thus  to  ti'iumph  over  all  the  succeeding 


SERMON    XV.  181 

generations  of  men,  to  the  end  of  the  world.  This  whole 
mournful  scene,  this  mighty  and  long  continued  devastation,  un- 
der the  reign  of  death,  would  naturally  rise  to  the  view  of  the 
compassionate  Jesus,  as  he  approached  the  tomb  of  his  friend  j 
and,  on  account  of  this,  it  may  well  be  supposed,  he  wept. 

II.  Jesus  might  also  weep,   on  account  of  the  sorrows  of  thor 
living,  occasioned  by  the  decease  of  the  dead. 

Of  this,  indeed,  there  is  an  intimation,  in  what  the  evangelist 
has  related.  When  Jesus,  therefore,  saw  J\Iary  loeeping,  and  the 
■Jews  also  weeping  which  came  with  her,  he  groaned  in  the  spirit, 
and  was  troubled.  To  his  sisters,  Martha  and  Mary,  Lazarus 
was  greatly  endeared.  Before  his  death,  so  far  as  appears, 
Lazarus  and  his  two  sisters  were  all  that  survived  of  the  family. 
They  lived  together  in  great  hai-mony  and  affection  ;  and,  by 
tlieir  mutual  kindness,  had  become  united  in  the  tenderest  tics ; 
ties  which  were  sanctified,  and  heightened  in  tenderness,  by  the 
spirit  oi  the  gospel :  for  they  all  loved  Jesus,  and  were  beloved 
by  him.  Lazarus,  moreover,  was  not  only  a  kind  brother,  but 
also  a  man  ot  worth,  and  much  respected.  His  deatli  was  felt 
in  Jeiusalem ;  and  many  from  the  city  came  to  Bethany  to 
mourn  with  his  sisters,  on  the  melancholy  occasion.  By  the  death 
of  such  a  brotiier,  no  wonder  that  the  two  sisters  were  deeply 
afflicted.  Their  loss  was  great.  Deprived  of  h.is  society,  of  his 
kindness,  of  his  conversation,  of  his  support,  and  of  the  opportu- 
nity to  exchange  with  him  the  endearing  offices  of  mutual  affec- 
tion, they  felt  a  painful  void,  and  the  world  became  to  them  a 
dreary  and  mournful  waste.  Touched  to  the  heart  by  this  afflic- 
tion, they  wept,  and  the  Jews  wept  whh  them.  Jesus  beheld 
them,  and  he  also  wept.  He  condoled  with  them,  and  tenderl}' 
took  a  part  in  their  sorrow. 

Nor  was  this  all ;  but,  on  this  occasion  he  had  sorrow,  we 
may  well  suppose,  of  his  own.  Jesus  loved  Lazarus,  and  called 
him  his  friend.  Our  friend  Lazarus,  said  he  to  his  disciples, 
Our  friend  Lazarus  sleepeth.  As  he  was  susceptible  of  the  ten-* 
der  feelings  of  particular  friendship  ;  he  was  susceptible,  also,  it 
is  not  to  be  doubted,  of  the  tender  sorrows  of  a  friend.  "If  he 
will,  another  day,  acknowledge  so  cheap  a  kindness  as  a  cup  of 


182  SERMON   XV. 

cold  water,  bestowed  on  a  desciple  in  his  name  ;  surely  he  could 
not  forget,  how  hospitably  he  had  himselt"  been  entertained  by 
Lazarus ;  how  cheerfully,  and  how  thankfully,  that  generous 
man  had  opened,  not  only  his  house,  but  his  heart  to  hiu],  and  to 
the  least  of  his  servants,  who,  no  doubt,  had  been  cordially  wel- 
.fome  to  him,  for  his  Master's  sake."  The  death  of  this  friend, 
he  sensibly  felt ;  and  die  Jews,  observing  his  tears,  said,  Beholdy 
how  he  loved  him ! 

He  was  not,  then,  an  unconcerned  spectator  ;  but  was  him- 
self a  mourner  :  and  knowing,  by  experience,  the  sorrows  of  a 
friend,  he  was  prepared  to  enter,  with  the  greater  tenderness  of 
sympathy,  into  the  grief  of  the  mourning  sisters.  Hence,  when 
he  saw  them  zveeping,  and  the  Jews  weeping  with  them,  hegroan-^ 
ed  in  the  spirit,  and  ivas  troubled. 

But  his  thoughts,  we  may  well  suppose,  were  not  confined  to 
the  mournful  scene  then  present ;  nor  was  it  solely  on  account  of 
the  sorrow  occasioned  to  the  living,  by  the  death  of  Lazarus, 
that  he  dropt  the  tender  tear.  A  scene  of  sorrow  like  that  was 
not  new  in  the  world  ;  nor  was  that  to  be  the  last,  MiUions  of 
hearts  had  bled,  and  millions  were  yet  to  bleed,  on  similar  oc- 
casions. Millions  of  graves  had  been  wet,  and  millions  were  yet 
to  be  wet,  widi  the  tears  of  mourning  relatives  and  friends,  sis- 
ters and  brothers,  parents  and  children,  husbands  and  wives. 
When  man  gocth  to  his  long  home,  the  mourners  go  about  the 
streets.  The  tenderest  ties  of  life  are  dissolved;  the  fondest 
hopes  of  time  are  cut  off;  the  fairest  prospects  of  the  world  ai"e 
desolated ;  and  the  tenderest  affections  of  the  heart  become 
sources  of  the  most  poignant  sorrow.  Thus  it  has  ever  been, 
since  the  first  parents  of  our  race  mourned  for  their  beloved 
Abel ;  and  thus  it  will  be,  until  the  triumphs  of  death  shall  be 
ended,  by  the  final  catastrophe  of  the  world.  This  Jesus  saw 
and  felt,  when  standing  by  the  grave  of  his  friend ;  and  on  this 
account,  as  we  may  reasonably  believe,  he  wept. 

HI.  At  the  tomb  of  Lazarus,  Jesus  might  weep,  on  account 
of  the  amazing  scenes,  which  death  opens  to  view. 

The   present  world  is  a  scene  of  probation.     To  mankind 
here,  the  throne  of  God  is  displayed  as  a  throne  of  grace  ;  over- 


SERMON  XV.  186 

lures  are  made  of  pardon  and  peace  :  and  an  opportunity  is 
afforded  to  flee  from  the  wratli  to  come,  and  to  secure  eternal 
bliss.  But,  at  death,  this  probationary  scene  is  closed.  The 
dust  returns  to  dust,  there  to  remain,  till  the  heavens  shall  be  no 
more ;  but  the  sjjirit  returns  to  God  who  gave  it,  to  await  his 
unalterable  sentence.  O,  what  tongue  can  describe,  what  mind 
can  conceive,  the  change,  which  takes  place  at  this  awful  mo- 
ment. The  curtain  drops ;  the  world  recedes ;  and  eternitj', 
with  all  its  amazing  reahties,  opens  to  the  view.  An  account  of 
all  tlie  deeds  done  here  in  the  body  is  sealed  up  for  the  final 
judgment ;  and  the  soul  is  heid  in  happiness  or  misery,  without 
mixture,  for  that  tremendous  day.  Then  the  voice  of  the  arch- 
angel  and  the  trump  of  God  shall  wake  the  sleeping  dust  of 
ages,  and  all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall  come  forth  ;  they  that 
have  done  good,  to  the  resurrection  of  life ;  and  they  that  have 
done  evil,  to  the  resurrection  of  damnation.  The  sea  shall  give 
up  the  dead  that  are  in  it;  and  death  and  hades  shall  deliver  up 
the  dead  thai  are  in  them  ;  the  judgment  shall  sit ;  the  books 
shall  be  opened ;  and  all  the  millions  of  men  shall  be  judged 
according  to  their  works.  Then,  to  those  on  his  right  hand,  the 
judge  will  say.  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  king- 
dom prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  ;  but,  to 
those  on  his  left  hand,  the  sentence  will  be,  Depart  from  me,  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels. 
These  sentences  will  be  irreversible  ;  and  pursuant  to  them  the 
wicked  will  ^o  aivay  into  everlasting  punishment,  but  the  right- 
eous into  Life  eternal. 

Such  are  the  explicit  representations  of  eternal  trutli.  .^5  ii 
is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  so,  after  this  is  the  judgment. 
To  the  mind  of  Jesus,  when  standing  by  the  grave  in  Bethany, 
the  amazing  realities  of  the  invisible  world  must  all  have  been 
present.  Doubtless,  the  death  of  Lazaius  was  peaceful  and 
happy;  and  had  he  not  been  miraculously  called  back  into  the 
world,  his  eternal  state  would  have  been  blessed  and  glorious. 
But  Jesus  well  knew  it  was  not  thus  with  all ;  and  it  was  natural 
for  him,  on  this  occasion,  to  consider  how  many  millions,  of 
every  generation  of  men,  are  driven  av/av  in  their  wickedness, 


184  SERMON   XV. 

and  die  without  hope.  As  he  could  look  into  the  invisible 
world,  as  hell  was  naked  before  Mm,  and  destruction  had  no 
covering ;  he  could  see  the  horrours  of  the  guilty,  en  passing 
Irom  this  world  into  the  gloomy  regions  of  despair  ;  and  the  in- 
creasing horrours,  which  must  seize  them  in  the  judgment  day, 
when  in  their  graves  they  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  come  forth  to 
the  resurrection  of  damnation.  And,  although  he  could  not  but 
approve  of  the  final  awards  of  eternal  justice  ;  yet,  touched  with 
compassion,  as  he  had  before  wept  over  Jerusalem,  in  view  of 
the  approaching  day  of  her  terrible  visitation  ;  so  might  he  now 
weep  over  the  multitudes  of  our  race,  who  die  in  their  sins  in 
view  of  the  unutterable  woes  of  their  eternal  doom.     1  add, 

IV.  Jesus  might  weep  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  on  account  of 
the  fallen  condition,  and  the  universal  sinfulness  of  mankind. 

Sin  is  the  cause  of  misery.  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the 
world,  and  death  by  sin  ;  and  so  death  has  passed  upon  all  men, 
for  that  all  have  sinned.  In  the  sorrowful  instance  before  him, 
Jesus  had  a  specimen  of  the  deplorable  consequences  of  sin. 
The  death  of  Lazarus  naturally  brought  up  to  his  view,  the  uni- 
versal mortality  of  mankind ;  together  with  the  multiplied  sor- 
rows occasioned  by  it  in  this  world,  and  the  eternal  woes,  which, 
after  death,  await  the  wicked  in  the  world  to  come.  Surveying 
these  deplorable  consequences,  in  their  awful  variety  and  ex- 
tent, how  deeply  must  his  heart  have  been  affected,  with  the 
view  which  he  had  of  the  evil  of  sin.  It  was  on  account  of  sin, 
indeed,  that,  from  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  came  down  into 
this  wretched  world ;  it  was  on  account  of  sin,  that  he  had  be- 
come a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief;  and  it  was 
on  account  of  sin,  that  he  was  soon  to  endure  the  agonies  of 
Gethsemane,  and  the  woes  of  Calvary.  And  surely,  then,  we 
may  well  suppose,  that,  on  account  of  sin,  not  indeed  his  own, 
but  diat  of  the  world,  for  which  he  was  to  die,  he  wept  at  the 
tomb  of  his  friend. 

REFLECTIONS. 

1.  We  are  here  led  to  reflect,  that  tears  of  tenderness  may 
be  compatible,  both  with  true  submission  to  the  will  of  God,  and 
with  the  highest  dignity  of  human  nature. 


SERMON  XV.  185 

"  The  fierceness  of  some  minds,  and  the  mdolence  of  others," 
says  an  excellent  writer,  "  leads  them  to  despise  those,  whom 
they  frequently  see  under  the  impression  of  tender  passions. 
But,  wherefore  should  they  despise  them  ?  Surely,  when  God 
implanted  in  our  nature  these  melting  emotions  of  soul,  he  in- 
tended them  for  some  valuable  purpose  ;  and  not  that  we  should 
look  upon  them  as  weeds,  to  be  rooted  out  of  every  well  culti- 
vated soil."  Undoubtedly,  my  brethren,  it  is  not  from  the  word 
of  God,  that  the  cold  maxims  of  the  stoick  are  derived ;  "  for 
there,  not  only  the  most  eminent  saints,  but  many  of  the  bravest 
heroes,  are  described  with  the  softest  sentiments  of  humanity 
about  them,  and  are  frequently  painted  in  tears.  What  greater 
names  has  the  Old  Testament  history  transmitted  to  us,  than 
those  of  Abraham  and  Joseph,  David  and  Jonathan,  Hezekiah 
and  Jeremiah  ?  Yet  we  are  told  of  various  occasions,  on  which 
they  wept.  And  the  tears  of  Paul,  that  great  christian  hero, 
who  could  face  danger  and  death,  in  a  thousand  forms,  for  the 
cause  of  truth  and  goodness,  are  frequently  mentioned  in  his 
history,  and  his  letters.  But,  a  greater  than  all  these  is  here  : 
Jesus  wept.  In  the  days  of  his  flesh,  he  poured  out  teais,  not 
only  under  the  pressure  of  his  own  sorrows,  but  also  in  compas- 
sion for  others."  But  where,  my  brethren,  shall  we  look  for  a 
perfect  example  of  true  submission  to  God,  and  of  the  highest 
dignity  of  human  nature,  if  not  to  the  man  Christ  Jcsus9 

2.  From  what  has  been  supposed,  in  regard  to  the  tears  of 
Jesus,  we  may  learn  something  of  the  proper  subjects  of  tearful 
reflection,  in  the  days  of  our  mourning. 

From  days  of  mourning  none  of  us  are  exempt.  We  all 
have  our  relatives  and  friends ;  and  all  our  relatives  and  friends 
are  mortal.  It  is  the  lot  of  humanity  to  feel  the  strokes  of 
bereavement ;  strokes,  which  are  not  to  be  felt  without  sorrow. 
A  husband  or  a  wife,  endeared  by  the  tenderest  ties,  is  torn  from 
the  heart  of  the  widowed  partner.  A  child,  either  of  infantine 
age,  or  of  maturer  years,  is  snatched  from  the  cares  and  the 
hopes  of  tender  parents.  A  parent,  whose  instructions,  exam- 
ples, and  solicitous  vigilance,  have  been  as  useful  as  they  were 

engaging,   is  taken  from  the  head  of  aflectionate  child  ran.     A 
34 


18G  SERMON    XV. 

brother  or  sister  beloved,  is  separated  from  the  circle,  wliote 
reciprocal  kindness  has  "  grown  with  their  growth,  and  strength- 
ened with  their  strength."  A  relative,  a  friend,  or  an  acquaint- 
ance, is  shipwrecked  on  the  mighty  deep,  where,  together  with 
his  fellow  sufferers,  he  endures  distresses,  the  bare  recital  of 
which  must  wring  even  a  stranger's  heart,  until  death  closes  the 
scene,  and  he  sinks  into  a  watery  grave.  On  occasions  like 
these,  who  can  refrain  from  tears  ?  Feel  these  strokes  we  must, 
and  feel  Uiein  we  should ;  for,  if  we  did  not  feel  them,  they 
would  fail  of  those  salutary  effects,  on  our  hearts  and  lives,  which, 
by  the  accompanying  grace  of  God,  they  are  calculated  to  pro- 
duce. Our  care,  however,  should  be,  not  only  that  our  tears  be 
not  indulged  to  excess,  but  also,  that  they  be  not  selfish,  or 
worldly,  or  unsubmissive.  Neither  our  sorrows,  nor  our 
thoughts,  should  be  confined  to  ourselves,  or  our  friends ;  but 
scope  should  be  given  them,  for  an  extensive  compass,  and  an 
elevated  range.  Like  what  has  been  supposed  in  the  case  of 
Jesus,  w^e  should  reflect  on  the  universal  mortality  of  our  race ; 
on  the  multiplied  sorrows  it  occasions  to  all  the  human  family ; 
on  tiie  amazing  scenes,  which  open  to  departing  spirits,  on  their 
leaving  this  world ;  on  the  fallen  condition  of  our  common  na- 
ture, and  the  dreadful  evil  of  sin.  Yes,  at  every  turn,  we  should 
recur,  in  our  reflections,  to  the  evil  of  sin.  When  we  think  of 
the  death  of  those,  for  whom  we  are  mourning,  and  the  sorrows 
resuhing  from  it,  we  should  reflect  that  sin  has  done  all  this. 
When,  from  the  graves  of  our  friends,  we  look  abroad  upon  the 
world,  this  vast  and  mournful  region  of  mortality,  and  open  our 
hearts  to  the  pains  and  sorrows  with  which  it  abounds ;  wc 
should  hold  in  reflection,  that  sin  is  the  cause  of  all  this  wide 
spread  scene  of  desolation  and  calamity.  And  when  we  have 
extended  our  views  forward,  and  contemplated  the  terrors  of 
the  judgment  day,  and  the  woes  of  the  regions  of  eternal  des- 
pair ;  we  should  feturn,  and  dwell  on  the  reflection,  that  all  these- 
are  the  consequences  of  sin. 

Jesus  had  no  sins  of  his  own  ;  but  we  ourselves  are  sinners  ; 
and  on  account  of  our  own  sins  especially,  it  becomes  us  to 
mourn  and  weep.     Here,  indeed,  should  be  our  great  concern, 


SERMON    XV.  187 

that  \vc  have  that  godly  sorrow,  which  worlceili  repentance  vnio 
salvation,  not  to  be  repented  of.     But,  if  we   rightly  mourn   for 
our  own  sins,  we  shall,  also,   mourn  for  the  sins  of  others ;  and, 
particularly,  for  that  obstinacy  of  heart,  with   which  multitude? 
reject  the  counsel  of  God  against  themselves,  and  despise  that 
sovereign  remedy,  which  divine  grace  has  provided,  for  all  their 
sorrows.     Dying  souls  are  a  sad  spectacle  indeed  ;  and  especial- 
ly, when  they  are  dying  under  the  means  and  offers  of  life,  and 
aggravate  their  ruin,  by   rejecting  the  only  method  of  cure. 
Where  is  the  faith  of  christians,  if  we  do  not  regard  these  pre- 
cious souls  as  on  the  borders  of  eternal  ruin  ?    And  where  is  the 
tenderness  of  human  nature,  if  we  can  see  them  with   indiffer- 
ence, in  so  dangerous  and  miserable  a  state  ?    David  beheJd  the 
transgressors  and  was  grieved ;  and  rivers  of  waters  ran  down 
his  eyes,  because  men  kept  not  God's  law.     Will  it  be  less  fatal 
to  reject  his  gospel  ^  Or,  should  wq  be  less  impressed,  when  the 
tears  of  the  Redeemer   over  perishing   sinners,  are  added  to  all 
the  other  moving  considerations  which  attend  their   case  ?    Oh, 
that  our  heads  were  waters,  and  our  eyes  were  fountains  of  tears, 
that  we  might  weep  day  and  night  for  our  neighbours,  our  friends, 
it  may  be  some  of  our  dearest  relatives  too!    who  seem  so  near 
to  that  state,  where  there  will  be,  peq^etually,  weeping,  and 
tvaiUng,  and  even  gnashing  of  teeth  ;   and  Avhere  the  torment  of 
all  the  raging,  shall  be  added  to  the  distress  of  the  jnourning 
passions ! 

3.  Our  subject  discloses  a  rich  source  of  consolation  to  the 
afflicted. 

To  comfort  all  that  mourn,  is  one  of  the  gracious  offices,  for 
which  the  Saviour  was  given  to  our  miserable  world.  And  how 
well,  my  brethren,  is  he  quahfied  for  this  office.  Truly,  we  have 
not  an  High  Priest,  who  cannot  be  touched  with  a  feeling  of  our 
infirmities.  When  we  see  him  weeping  at  the  tomb  of  his  friend 
Lazarus,  we  have  the  tenderest  evidence,  that  he  knows  how  to 
sympathize  with  us,  in  the  days  of  our  mourning ;  aiui  hew 
powerful  a  persuasive  should  this  be  to  us,  to  avail  ourselves  of 
the  privilege  which  he  indulges  us,  when  our  hearts  are  over- 
whelmed with   grief,   to  repair  to  him,  open  to  him  :ill  our  sor- 


168  SERMON  XV. 

rows,  and  pour  out  our  tears  into  his  bosom  !  With  him  arc  th« 
sii])ports  and  consolations,  which  we  need ;  and  it  is  his  dehght 
to  impart  them.  Do  we  feel  our  own  afflictions  ?  He,  also,  was 
a  man  of  sorroics,  and  acquainted  with  grief.  Are  our  hearts 
affected,  by  the  groans  and  miseries  of  this  dying  world  ?  By 
this  mournful  scene  his  heart,  also,  has  been  affected.  Do  we 
weep  over  the  woes  to  be  endured  by  the  wicked,  in  the  world 
to  come,  and  the  dreadful  prevalence  of  sin .''  Over  these  he, 
also,  has  wept.  With  what  tender  confidence,  then,  may  we  re- 
pair to  him  ;  trust  in  his  all-sufficient  grace ;  and  commit  our- 
selves, our  friends,  and  all  mankind,  to  his  hands.  He  is  the 
Redeemer  of  men,  and  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost,  all  who 
come  unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession 
for  us.  For  us  he  has  died,  is  risen  again,  and,  behold,  he  lives 
forevermore.  Yes,  he  hath  abolished  death,  and  hath  brought 
life  and  immortality  to  light.  The  hour  is  coming,  when  all  that 
are  in  their  graves  shall  hear  his  voice  and  shall  come  forth ;  and 
the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first.  Then  will  he  wipe  away  the 
reproach  of  his  people,  and  clothe  them  with  beauty,  and  honour, 
and  immortality.  O  consoling  thought !  O  glorious  prospect ! 
Jesus  is  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  the  millions  of  his  redeemed, 
v.aked,  by  his  voice,  from  the  slumbers  of  the  tomb,  and  made 
like  unto  him,  shall  live  and  reign  with  him  in  glory  forever. 

Finally,  then,  my  brethren,  of  what  incalculable  value  is 
true  religion ;  that  rehgion  which  forms  an  indissoluble  union 
with  the  glorious  Redeemer  ^  How  precious  is  the  hope  of  the 
gospel ;  a  hope  founded  on  the  rock  of  everlasting  ages  !  This, 
and  this  only,  will  put  us  in  a  right  condition,  with  respect  to  all 
present  and  all  future  things.  With  this,  we  are  rich  and  happy, 
for  time  and  for  eternity  ;  without  it,  we  must  be  2^oor,  and 
^cretched,  and  miserable  forever.  Christians,  trust  in  the  Lord, 
and  do  good  ;  and  shortly  he,  who  wept  at  the  grave  in  Betha- 
ny, will  ivipe  away  all  tears  from  your  eyes.  O,  sinners,  repent, 
and  accept  of  eternal  peace ;  lest,  under  the  final  sentence  of 
Him,  who  has  wept  and  died  for  yon,  you  lie  down  in  sorrow 
forever* 


SERMON  XVL 


DRAWING  BACK. 


»®« 


Hebrews  x.  38. 
But  if  any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him. 

X  HERE  is,  innate  in  mankind,  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in 
departing  from  the  living  God.  From  this  their  overt  iniquities, 
and  from  this  their  muliipHed  miseries,  proceed.  The  language 
of  the  unbeUeving  heart  is.  The  Lord  shall  not  see,  neither  shall 
the  God  of  Jacob  regard  it.  But  what  says  Jehovah.'*  Under- 
stand, ye  brutish  among  the  people;  and  ye  fools,  lohen  will  ye 
be  wise9  He  that  planted  the  ear,  shall  he  not  hear"?  He  that 
formed  the  eye,  shall  he  not  see  ?  He  that  cJiastiseth  the  heathen, 
shall  not  he  correct  9  He  that  teacheth  man  knowledge,  shall  not 
he  know  9  The  Lord  knoweth  the  thoughts  of  man,  that  they  arc 
vanity.  Happy  were  it  for  men,  did  they  but  duly  consider  that 
the  Lord  pondereth  their  hearts  ;  and,  in  that  awful  book,  which 
will  be  opened  at  the  final  judgment,  notes  all  their  actions. 

The  whole  verse,  of  which  the  text  is  a  part,  is  quoted  from 
Habakkuk.  The  fourth  verse  of  the  second  chapter  of  that 
prophet,  in  our  translation,  reads  thus  :  Behold,  his  soid  ivhich 
is  lifted  up,  is  not  upright  in  him;  but  the  just  shall  live  by  his 
faith.  But,  as  quoted  by  the  apostle,  it  reads  thus  :  The  just 
shall  live  by  faith  ;  but  if  any  man  draw  back,  my  sold  shall  have 
no  pleasure  in  him.     The  variation,  you  will  observe,  is  verv 


3S(j  SERMON    XVI. 

consklerable.  The  part  which  stands  first  in  the  prophet,  is  put 
last  by  the  apostle ;  and  the  two  readings  of  this  part  are  differ- 
ent. In  the  first  instance,  it  is,  Behold  his  soul,  which  is  lifted 
vp,  is  not  upright  in  him;  but  in  the  last,  it  is,  If  any  man  draw 
hack,  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him.  The  variation,  in- 
deed, is  so  great,  that  you  would  hardly  suppose  them  to  be 
from  the  same  original.  In  the  Septuagint,  however,  the  Greek 
version  of  the  Old  Testament,  which  was  in  use  among  the  Jews 
in  the  apostle's  time,  this  part  of  the  verse  of  the  prophet  is  ren- 
dered exactly  as  the  apostle  here  has  it ;  and  from  that  version, 
evidently,  he  made  his  quotation. 

It  was  from  the  Septuagint  version,  indeed,  that  most  of  the 
passages,  quoted  in  the  New  Testament  from  the  Old,  were 
taken,  and,  in  many  instances,  the  variations  of  reading  are 
considerable.  But,  though  the  readings  vary,  it  will  be  found 
'on  examination,  that  the  sense  is  essentially  the  same.  In  the 
iGth  verse  of  the  xxviiith  chapter  of  Isaiah,  we  read.  Behold,  I 
lay  in  Zion,  for  a  foundation,  a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious 
corner  stoncj  a  sure  foundation,  he  that  believeth  shall  not 
MAKE  HASTE.  This  passagc,  as  quoted  from  the  Septuagint 
Version,  in  the  2d  chapter  of  the  first  of  Peter,  reads  thus ; 
Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion,  a  chief  corner  stone,  elect,  precious  ;  and 
he  that  helieveth  on  him  shall  not  be  confounded.  The 
variation  which  we  may  here  note,  is  in  the  last  clause ;  which, 
in  one  instance,  is,  he  that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste  ;  but  in 
the  other  it  is,  he  that  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  confounded  ; 
or,  as  it  is  rendered  in  the  9th  of  Romans,  shall  not  be  ashamed. 
But  why  is  it  that  they  who  believe  shall  not  be  confounded,  or 
ashamed'^  Evidently,  because  they  do  not  make  haste.  Trust- 
ing in  the  Lord,  tliey  walk  humbly  and  surely ;  and,  therefore, 
shall  not  be  confounded,  or  ashamed.  In  one  instance,  then,  we 
have  the  cause,  in  the  other,  the  etFect ;  and  in  both,  the  sense 
is  essentially  the  same. 

The  case  is  similar  in  the  instance  of  our  text.  Behold, 
says  the  prophet,  his  soid  which  is  lifted  tip,  is  not  upright  in 
him.     Jf  any  man  draw  back,  says  the  apostle,  quoting  fr^m  the 


SERMON   XVI.  I'.tl 

prophet,  my  soul  shall  have  710  pleasure  in  him.  But,  why  do 
any  so  draw  back,  that  God  has  no  pleasure  in  them?  It  is  be- 
cause that  their  souls,  ivhkh  are  lifted  up,  are  not  upright  in 
them.  Here,  again,  in  one  instance,  the  cause  is  expressed ; 
in  the  other,  the  effect ;  but  in  both,  the  sense  is  essentially  the 
same.  The  principal  sentiment  intended  to  be  conveyed  is, 
that,  in  the  persons  here  characterized,  God  has  no  pleasure  ; 
nay,  rather,  that  he  abhors  them.  This  sentiment  is  stronc^ly 
expressed  in  both  the  readings ;  and,  by  comparing  the  one  with 
tlie  other,  we  have  a  clearer  view  of  the  character  of  the  per- 
sons referred  to,  and  of  the  reason  why  God  should  abhor  them, 
dian  we  should  be  likely  to  have  from  either  of  them  alone. 
As  the  souls  of  those  who  are  lifted  up  are  not  upright  in  them, 
they  draiv  back ;  and,  therefore,  tlie  Lord  has  no  pleasure  in 
them.  The  phrase,  7ny  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him,  as 
already  intimated,  is  evidently  a  strong  expression  of  the  divine 
abhorrence. 

The  doctrine  of  the  text,  then,  is,  that  god  has  a  pecu- 
liar ABHORRENCE  OF  THOSE,  WHO,  IN  RESPECT  TO  RELIGION, 
DRAW  BACK. 

With  a  view  to  illustrate  and  impress  this  doctrine,  I  propose, 

I.  To  consider  when,  in  respect  to  religion,  men  maybe  said 
fo  draw  back. 

II.  To  consider  why  God  should  hold  such  as  draw  back  in 
peculiar  abhorrence. 

It  is  obvious  that,  in  respect  to  religion,  there  are  very  differ- 
ent degrees  of  drawing  back.  Among  those  of  mankind,  who 
shew  any  inclinations  or  appearances,  favourable  to  religion, 
there  are  some  who  come  much  nearer  to  real  religion  than 
others ;  and  h  is  but  too  often  the  case,  that  those  who,  for  a 
time,  approach  the  nearest  to  religion,  afterwards  depart  to  the 
greatest,  remove  from  it.  In  order,  then,  to  take  up  the  differ- 
ent degrees  of  drawing  back,  it  may  be  proper  to  consider  sev- 
eral particular  instances. 

1.  Persons  may  be  said  to  draw  back,  in  respect  to  religion, 
when  they  turn  away  from  the  truth,  and  embrace  errour. 


19:;:  SERMOiN    XVI. 

Divine  Irulli  may  justly  be  denominated  the  foundation  of 
religion.  Without  some  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there  can  be 
no  approach  to  religion;  no  advance  towards  God.  A  merely 
speculative  knowledge  and  belief  of  truth  there  may  indeed  be, 
without  any  right  temper  of  the  heart,  or  holy  conformity  to  the 
gospel.  Yet,  as  a  speculative  knowledge  and  belief  of  the  truth 
are  necessary,  in  order  to  a  cordial  reception  of  the  gospel,  and 
obedience  to  it ;  in  so  far  as  men  have  this  knowledge  and  belief, 
ihey  in  a  certain  sense,  if  not  in  the  strictest  sense,  approach  re- 
hgion,  and  advance  towards  God.  When,  therefore,  any  oiie 
turns  away  from  truth  to  errour,  he  may  be  said  to  draw  back. 
If  he  turns  but  from  one  truth,  he  draws  back  in  a  degree,  if  he 
turns  from  more  than  one,  he  draws  back  in  a  greater  degree ; 
and,  in  proportion  to  the  number  and  importance  of  the  truths, 
from  which  he  turns,  and  the  number  and  perniciousness  of  the 
errours  which  he  embraces,  is  the  remove  to  which  he  with- 
draws himself  from  religion,  and  from  God. 

Has  a  person,  then,  by  means  of  a  correct  religious  educa- 
tion, or  by  any  other  means,  once  had  a  speculative  knowledge 
and  belief  of  the  principal  truths  of  the  gospel  ?  And  has  he 
since  turned  away  from  those  truths,  to  wander  in  the  endless 
mazes  of  errour  r"  That  person  makes  it  manifest  that  his  soul, 
which  is  lifted  up,  is  not  upright  in  him,  and  may  be  assured 
that,  in  respect  to  religion,  he  has  most  essentially  and  criminally 
drawn  back. 

2.  Persons  may  be  said  to  draw  back,  in  respect  to  religion^ 
when,  in  their  external  conduct,  they  become  more  immoral,  or 
more  irregular,  or  less  respectful  to  religious  means  and  institu- 
tions, than  formerly  they  have  been. 

Men,  we  know,  may  be  very  correct  in  their  external  de- 
portment, and  yet  be  destitute  of  real  piety.  They  may  be  free 
from  overt  vices ;  may  be  irreproachable  in  their  general  morals ; 
and  may  be  regularly  attentive  to  the  means  and  institutions  of 
rehgion  ;  to  the  reading  of  the  scriptures,  to  daily  prayer,  and  to 
the  publick  worship  of  God's  house  ; — and  yet  have  no  true  re- 
pentance towards  God,  no  genuine  faith  in  the  Redeemer,  no 
holy  sincerity  of  heart,  in  any  of  their  deportment.     The   moral 


SERMON   XVI.  193 

and  resjular  deportment,  however,  which  has  now  been  describ- 
ed, is  certainly  an  external  approach  to  religion  ;  it  has  the  ap- 
pearance, at  least,  of  some  respect  lor  God,  and  his  holy  require- 
ments. Men  who  openly  abandon  themselves  to  vice,  and  des- 
pise every  thing  pertaining  to  religion ;  who  wantonly  take  the 
name  of  God  in  vain,  cast  off  fear  and  restrain  prayer  belore 
him,  make  his  people  their  derision,  profane  his  holy  sabbath, 
and  neglect  his  word  and  his  house,  are  surely  at  an  awful  re- 
piove  from  him. 

Has  a  person,  then,  once  been  moral  and  regular  in  his  ex- 
ternal deportment?  And  has  he  since  thrown  oft'  his  moral  and 
regular  habits  ?  Has  he  once  been  accustomed  to  treat  the  gos- 
pel and  its  institutions  with  respect ;  to  read  the  scriptures,  to 
bow  his  knees  in  prayer  before  God,  decently  to  observe  the 
sabbath,  and  to  attend  the  solemnities  of  publick  worship  ?  And 
does  he  now  neglect  these  observances,  or  any  of  them,  and  even 
treat  them  with  contempt  ?  That  person,  again,  gives  melancholy 
evidence,  that  his  soul,  ivkich  is  lifted  up,  is  not  upright  in  him  ; 
and,  in  respect  to  religion,  has  lamentably  drawn  back. 

3.  Persons  may  be  said  to  draw  back,  in  respect  to  religion, 
when  they  have  worn  off"  religious  impressions,  and,  from  a  state 
of  serious  conviction,  inquiry,  and  concern,  have  returned  to  a 
fearless  remissness  and  insensibility. 

A  serious  attention  to  the  concerns  of  the  soul,  a  conviction 
of  sin  and  of  danger,  and  an  earnest  inquiry  for  theway  of  safety 
and  of  life,  are  of  the  utmost  importance  to  mankind.  So  long 
as  men  are  inattentive,  and  are  unconvinced  of  sin,  unimpressed 
with  the  importance  of  reconcihation  to  God,  and  unconcerned 
about  their  eternal  state,  there  is,  comparatively,  but  little  reason 
for  hope  respecting  them.  But  when  their  attention  is  strongly 
excited )  when  they  are  deeply  sensible  of  their  sinful  and  lost 
eondition,  are  impressed  with  the  weight  of  eternal  things,  and 
are  solicitously  inquiring  what  they  shall  do  to  be  saved,  they 
are  then  on  the  point,  as  it  were,  of  returning  to  God,  and  are 
near  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Hence,  to  bring  men  to  this 
state  is  an  important  object  of  the  prcach^xl  gosiiel,  and  of  ull 
2') 


194  SERMON    XVI. 

the  means  of  grace  ;  and  to  effect  this  is  the  great  design  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  in  his  convictive  influences. 

If,  then,  under  the  impression  of  tlie  gospel  and  the  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit,  persons  are  once  hrought  to  this  state  ;  are 
awakened,  convinced,  and  anxious  in  their  rehgious  inquiries; 
and  afterwards  throw  off  their  convictions,  say  to  the  Spirit,  De- 
part, cease  from  their  serious  concern,  and  return  to  the  vain 
and  thoughtless  world  ;  they  give  most  affecting  proof,  that  their 
souls,  ivhich  are  lifted  up,  are  not  upright  in  them;  and,  in  res- 
pect to  religion,  most  dangerously  draw  back.  From  tlie  gate 
of  heaven,  they  draw  back  to  the  brink  of  perdition. 

4.  Persons  maj^,  with  emphasis,  be  said  to  draw  back,  when, 
after  making  a  credible  profession  of  religion,  they  openly 
apostatize. 

In  a  profession  of  religion,  men  not  only  draw  near  to  God, 
but  actually  come  into  his  visible  kingdom.  They  profess  to 
return  to  God,  to  accept  his  mercy  in  Christ,  to  yield  themselves 
unreservedly  to  him,  as  those  that  are  alive  from  the  dead  ;  and, 
under  the  vows  of  a  solemn  covenant,  they  avouch  him  to  be 
their  God,  and  themselves  to  be  his  people,  and  engage  to  walk 
henceforth  in  all  his  commandments  and  ordinances  blameless. 

If,  then,  after  all  this,  any  openly  apostatize  to  the  course  of 
this  world,  how  terribly  do  they  evince  to  the  universe,  that 
their  souls,  which  are  lifted  up,  are  not  upright  in  them,  and  with 
what  amazing  guilt  and  peril  do  they  draw  back !  In  the  pres- 
ence of  earth  and  heaven,  they  revolt  from  God  to  the  prince  of 
darkness;  and  with  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant  on 
their  heads,  they  rush  towards  endless  destruction. 

These  last  are  the  persons,  beyond  doubt,  to  whom  the 
words  of  the  text  more  especially  refer.  In  the  original  applica- 
tion of  these  words,  the  prophet  had  evidently  in  view  such  of 
the  people  of  Israel,  as  forsook  the  covenant  of  their  God  ;  and, 
no  less  evidently,  in  his  quotation  of  them,  the  apostle  iiad  in 
view,  such  as  openly  renounced  the  profession  of  the  gospel ; 
and,  especially,  such  as,  after  receiving  tlie  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  wilfully  sinned,  finally  fell  away,  and  irrecoverably  drew 
back  unto  perdition. — We  are  now, 


SERMON    XVI.  195 

II.  To  consider,  why  God  should  hold  in  peculiar  abhor- 
rence, those  who  draw  back. 

If  any  man  draw  hack,  my  soul,  he  says,  shall  have  no  pleas- 
ure in  him.  Jehovah  is  not  a  God  that  hath  pleasure  in  loicked- 
ness,  neither  shall  evil  dxvell  with  him.  He  \ms pleasure,  indeed, 
in  them  that  fear  him  ;  but  all  the  workers  of  iniquity  he  abhors. 
But,  in  the  text,  there  is  evidently  great  emphasis.  If  God  ab- 
hors the  workers  of  iniquity  in  general,  yet  those  who,  in  respect 
to  religion,  draw  back,  he  regards  with  peculiar  abhorrence ; 
and  why  it  should  be  thus,  may  appear  from  several  considera- 
tions. 

1 .  They  who  draw  back  bring  great  dishonour  upon  God. 

What  is  the  language  of  their  conduct  in  drawing  back.''  It  is, 
that  God  is  not  worthy  of  their  service,  or  their  love  ;  that  Christ 
is  not  worthy  of  their  trust,  or  of  their  hope  ;  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  not  worthy  to  guide  or  to  teach  them.  It  is,  that  the  word  of 
God  is  not  true  ;  that  the  blood  of  atonement  is  an  unholy  thing ; 
that  the  influences  of  grace  are  all  a  delusion.  It  is,  that  there  is 
no  good  in  religion  ;  that  the  salvation  of  the  gospel  is  a  vain 
thing  ;  that  the  realities  of  eternity  are  not  deserving  of  attention. 
And  what  is  all  this,  but  shewing  a  contempt  of  all  the  persons 
in  the  Godhead,  of  the  name  and  authority  of  Jehovah,  of  his 
law  and  his  grace,  of  his  kingdom  and  his  glory  ? 

But,  not  only  do  they  who  draw  back  dishonour  God  them- 
selves ;  they  also  induce  others  to  dishonour  him.  Who  has 
not  seen,  how  wide  the  enemies  of  God  open  their  mouths,  when 
a  man  draws  back .''  With  what  exultation  they  proclaim  the 
fact;  what  courage  they  take  to  speak  reproachfully  of  the  truth 
of  God,  of  the  religion  of  God,  of  the  people  of  God  ;  how  they 
sport  themselves  with  their  deceivings,  strengdien  themselves  in 
errour  and  ungodliness,  and  triumph  in  the  confidence  that  the 
cause  of  God  is  ere  long  to  be  utterly  overthrown  ! 

As,  indeed,  the  degrees  of  drawing  back,  in  respect  to  reli- 
gion, are  different,  so  also  the  degrees  of  dishonour  brought  upon 
God  are  different.  The  man,  who  draws  back  in  the  highest 
degree  described,  unquestionably  does  more,  vastly  more,  to 
•dishonour  the  Holy  One,  than  ho  who  draws  bark  in  the  lowest 


19G  SERMON    XVI. 

degree.  Yet,  every  one  who  docs  draw  back,  even  in  the  loueot 
degree,  so  far  speaks,  in  his  conduct,  the  language,  shews  the 
contempt,  and  gives  occasion  for  the  reproach,  the  blasphemy, 
the  impious  triumph,  which  have  been  represented.  Nor  is 
there,  perhaps,  any  thing  else  in  the  power  of  men  to  do,  which 
is  so  directly,  or  so  flagrantly,  in  its  nature  and  tendency,  to  the 
dishonour  of  God,  as  drawing  back  in  respect  to  religion. 

Is  it,  then,  any  matter  of  wonder,  that,  in  those  who  draw 
back,  God  should  have  no  pleasure  ?  When  their  souls,  which 
are  not  upright  in  them,  thus  lift  themselves  up  against  him,  and 
bring  such  dishonour  and  reproach  upon  his  holy  name,  upon 
the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  upon  all  which  pertain  to  him  and 
his  kingdom,  is  it  any  matter  of  wonder,  that  he  should  hold 
them  as  objects  of  his  peculiar  abhorrence  ? 

2.  They  who  draw  back  do  great  injury  to  themselves. 

They  draw  back — from  whom  .^  from  what?'  From  God, 
from  Christ,  from  the  Spirit  of  grace  ;  from  the  law  of  rectitude, 
from  the  truth  of  life,  from  the  blood  of  salvation,  from  the  path 
of  glory  ! — They  draw  hack — to  whom  ^  to  what .''  To  the  grand 
enemy  of  all  good,  to  the  demons  of  darkness ;  to  the  misrule  of 
unrighteousness,  to  the  mazes  of  delusion,  to  the  curse  of  perdi- 
tion, to  the  ways  of  eternal  infamy  and  wo  ! 

Here,  again,  it  may  be  observed,  that  the  degrees  of  injury 
which  they  directly  do  to  themselves,  are  in  proportion  to  their 
degrees  of  drawing  back.  But  every  degree  of  drawing  back, 
in  respect  to  religion,  is  a  step, /row  whom  and  what,  to  whom 
and  what,  have  been  now  concisely  mentioned  ;  is  a  step  back^ 
from  the  God  of  truth  to  the  fadier  of  lies,  from  rectitude  to  enor- 
mity, from  bliss  to  wo.  It  deserves,  also,  to  be  distinctly  con- 
sidered, that  a  step  back,  in  this  great  concern,  is  not  easily  re- 
gained. The  descent  of  errour  and  of  sin  is  easy;  but  to  re- 
cover the  step  is  difficult.  The  person,  who  departs  from  any 
truth  of  the  gospel,  will  not  easily  bring  himself  back  to  the  be- 
lief of  that  truth.  The  person  who  departs  from  any  moral 
practice,  or  religious  observance,  will  find  a  difficulty  in  return- 
ing to  that  practice,  or  that  observance.  Both  in  the  one  case 
and  in  the  other,  it  will  be  found  much  easier  to  proceed  in  the 


SERMON    XVI.  197 

downward  course  of  errour  and  of  sin,  than  io  regain  wliat  has 
been  lost,  in  respect  to  truth  and  virtue  ;  and  in  how  many  mel- 
ancholy instances  do  men  thus  proceed,  if  slowly  indeed  at  first, 
yet  precipitately  afterwards,  from  one  step  to  another,  from  one 
leap  to  another,  from  one  plunge  to  another,  till  their  recovery 
is  hopeless.  And  if  such  be  the  injury  done,  or  the  danger  in- 
curred, by  the  lowest  degrees  of  drawing  back,  how  dreadful 
must  it  be  in  the  highest !  If  men  draw  back,  after  clear  and 
deep  convictions,  after  a  profession  of  religion,  after  being  en- 
lightened, and  tasting  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come;  if,  I  say, 
after  this,  they  wilfully  fall  away,  how  terrible,  how  fatal  is  the 
injury,  which  they  do  to  themselves!  The  mere  thought  of  their 
guilt,  and  their  doom,  is  enough  to  chill  the  blood  home  to  the 
heart. 

Can  God,  then,  have  pleasure  in  them  who  draw  back  ? 
Must  he  not  regard,  with  peculiar  abhorrence,  those,  whose  hearts 
are  lifted  up  thus  to  despise  their  own  mercies,  and,  in  contempt 
of  all  his  infinite  grace,  thus  obstinately  to  rush  down  to  eternal 
perdition? 

3.  Those,  who  draw  back  do  great  injury  also  to  others. 

They  injure  the  people  of  God.  They  bring  upon  them 
grievous  reproaches;  and  make  their  hearts  bleed  for  the  dis- 
honour done  to  God,  to  the  Redeemer,  and  to  his  cause.  How 
often,  indeed,  by  facts  of  this  kind,  are  the  people  of  God  con- 
founded and  distressed  ;  their  faith  staggered,  their  minds  over- 
whelmed, and  their  feet  made  well  nigh  to  slip  ! 

It  is  not,  however,  to  the  people  of  God  that  the  greatest  in- 
jury is  done.  It  is  to  those,  who  live  without  God  in  the  xi-orld. 
One  sinner  destroyeth  much  good  ;  and  especially  may  one,  who 
draws  back  in  religion,  do  more  towards  the  eternal  destruction 
of  men,  than  can  be  done  by  many  of  the  friends  of  God,  to- 
wai'ds  their  salvation.  Is  it  so,  indeed,  that  multitudes  exult 
when  one  draws  back  ? — Ah  !  fatal  exultation  !  While  thus  ex- 
ulting, they  drink  iniquity  like  water;  they  imbibe  a  deadly 
poison  deep  in  their  souls.  With  him,  who  has  drawn  back, 
ihey  remove  themselves  to  a  greater  distance  from  God ;  become 
more  confirmed  in  their  delusions,  more  fixed  in  their  prejudices 


108  SERMON    XVI. 

figainst  iriuh  and  religion,  and  more  prepared  to  run,  without 
restraint  in  the  ways  of  their  own  hearts,  and  in  the  sight  of  their 
own  eyes.  Is  there,  indeed,  any  thing  else  in  our  world,  which 
lends,  with  such  fatal  certainty,  to  confirm  the  erroneous  in  their 
errours,  and  to  encourage  the  wicked  in  their  wickedness,  or, 
generally,  to  help  men  forward  in  the  ways  of  destruction,  as  the 
drawing  back  of  some  in  religion  ^  Were  there  no  drawing  back ; 
did  all,  who  have  any  pretensions  of  a  serious  or  religious  nature, 
steadfastly  abide  in  the  truth,  and  hold  on  their  way  to  the  end ; 
what  could  the  unbelieving  and  the  wicked  do  ?  How  could  they 
be  kept  in  countenance  ?  Or  what  could  they  have  to  encourage 
or  to  support  them  ? — Undoubtedly,  if  other  sinners  slay  their 
thousands,  those  who  draw  back  slay  their  ten  thousands. 
While  they  bring  swift  destruction  on  themselves,  multitudes  are 
induced  io  follow  their  pernicious  %vays,  by  whom  the  way  of  truth 
is  evil  spoken  of  and  to  whom,  also,  is  reserved,  unless  they  sea- 
sonably return,  the  blackness  of  darkness  forever. 

On  the  whole,  then,  it  is  surely  and  evidently  with  the  utmost 
reason,  that  those  who  draw  back,  in  respect  to  religion,  are  held 
as  objects  of  God's  peculiar  displeasure  and  abhorrence. 

Christians,  will  you  draw  back  ? — If  you  are  christians  in- 
deed, you  vi\\\  not  utterly  fall  away;  for  the  just  by  faith  shall 
live.  But,  do  you  knoio  that  you  are  christians  indeed  ?  Do 
you  knovi^,  by  thoroughly  proving  your  own  selves,  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  in  you.  If  not,  how  can  you  assure  yourselves,  that 
you  will  not  draw  back,  even  to  perdition  f — Does  it  not  behoove 
you  to  examine  yourselves  daily,  to  work  out  your  salvation  with 
fear  and  trembling,  and  to  give  all  diligence  to  make  your  calling 
and  election  sure'?  Can  you  endure  the  tliought  of  having  your 
portion  at  last,  with  hypocrites  and  apostates  ?  Can  you  endure 
the  thought  of  seeing  many  come  from  the  east  and  from  the  west, 
from,  the  north  and  from  (he  south,  and  sit  down  in  the  kingdom 
of  glory;  and  you  yourselves,  after  all  your  professions,  and 
privileges,  and  hopes,  thrust  aivay  into  outer  dQrkness,  ivhere  is 
iveeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth9 — Oh,  then,  beware,  lest  a 
promise  being  left  of  entering  into  rest,  any  of  you  shoidd  seem 
fo  come  short  of  it. 


SERMON  XVI.  1»j9 

Nor  let  it  escape,  dear  brethren,  your  most  serious  consider- 
alion,  that  thougli,  by  the  grace  of  God,  you  may  be  preserved 
from  final  apostacy  ;  yet  every  appearance  in  you  of  drawing 
back,  every  sinful  or  heedless  lapse,  every  departure  from  God, 
from  his  truth  and  his  precepts,  is  displeasing  to  him  ;  brhigs 
dishonour  and  reproach  upon  his  holy  name  and  cause,  dees  in- 
calcidable  injur}  to  youiselves,  and  may  contribute  to  the  ruin 
of  many  souls.  Remember  David  ;  remember  Peter;  consider 
the  instances  of  lapses  in  christians,  which  have  fallen  under 
your  own  eyes.  Remember  your  high  and  holy  calling ;  re- 
member your  solemn  vows ;  remember  the  blood  of  your  re- 
demption, and  of  all  your  hopes. — Hold  fast  your  profession  ; 
be  steadfast  and  uninov cable  ;  walk  ivorthy  of  the  Lord  unto  aU 
pleasing  ;  and  make  it  manifest  to  all,  that  you  are  not  of  them 
who  draw  back  unto  perdition,  hut  of  them  that  believe  to  the 
saving  of  the  soul. 

Unbelievers,  will  you  draw  back  ? — Alas,  where  are  you 
now,  and  how  deplorable  is  your  state  !  But,  deplorable  as  your 
state  is,  it  is  not  yet,  we  trust,  hopeless.  Will  you  do  any  thing, 
then,  to  render  it  more  dangerous .''  Will  you  do  that,  which 
would  render  it  desperate .''  Have  you  a  speculative  knowledge 
and  belief  of  the  truths  of  tlie  gospel.'*  and  will  you  turn  awav 
from  the  truth,  and  embrace  errour? — Remember,  I  beseech 
you,  that,  without  a  belief  in  the  truth,  you  cannot  be  sanctified 
and  saved  ;  and  the  farther  you  depart  from  the  truth,  the  greater 
is  your  remove  from  God^  and  from  his  glorious  kingdom.  Are 
you  moral  in  your  general  deportment,  and  regular  in  your  at- 
tendance on  the  means  and  institutions  of  the  gospel  ?  and  will 
you  turn  away  from  that  moral  deportment,  and  from  that  regu- 
lar attendance  .''  Will  you  go  with  scorners.  In  neglect  and  con- 
tempt of  the  gospel.^  Will  you  cast  off  fear,  restrain  prayer,  and. 
abandon  yourselves  to  vice  ?  Consider  and  reflect.  Are  you  not 
already  far  enough  from  God,  and  from  salvation  ?  And  will  you 
provoke  the  Lord  to  ans:er,  by  an  open  contempt  of  his  authori- 
ty, and  his  grace?  If  once  }'ou  draw  back,  iiov,'  will  you  regain 
what  you  lose,  or  where  will  you  stop,  before  you  plunge  into 
final  perdition  ? — Are  your  minds  inijircssed  v.ith   nny  religious 


2U0  SCRMON    XVI. 

concern  ?  Is  it,  in  any  measure,  your  serious  inquiry,  what  yoir 
shall  do  to  be  saved?  And  will  you  throw  off  your  serious  im- 
pressions ?  Will  you  give  up  your  inquiry,  and  turn  away  to  the 
vain  and  thoughtless  world  f  Beware,  I  conjure  you,  beware  lest 
you  trample  underfoot  the  Son  of  God,  and  count  the  blood  of 
the  covenant,  the  blood  ol'  salvation,  an  unholy  thing,  and  do 
despite  to  the  spirit  of  grace.  Beware,  lest  you  sin  wilfully,  after 
you  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  thus  seal  your 
iinal  condemnation.  Have  you  even  made  profession  of  religion, 
and  bound  yourselves  to  be  the  Lord's,  by  the  vows  of  a  solemn 
covenant  .'*  And  will  you,  then,  draw  back  ^  Will  you,  before  the 
universe,  charge  yourselves  with  perfidy  to  God,  and  with  the 
blood  of  his  Son,  without  which  there  could  be  no  salvation  ^ 
If,  then,  there  be  in  the  regions  of  eternal  wo  a  place  more 
dreadful  than  any  other,  deliberately  make  up  your  minds  for 
that  place. 

'Is  there  a  person  present,  who  has  drawn  back .''  Is  there 
one,  who  is  disposed  to  draw  back  't  Is  there  one,  who  would 
even  dare  to  draw  back.'*  Let  such  an  one  remember,  that  his 
soul,  ivhich  is  lifted,  up,  is  not  upright  in  him  ;  and,  tlierefore,  in 
him  the  Lord  can  have  no  pleasure. 

Believe  me,  if  any  of  you  are  still  unbelievers,  there  is,  in 
your  case,  imminent  danger.  Your  hearts,  being  yet  unrenew- 
ed, are  not  upright  in  you.  They  are  like  a  deceitful  bow. 
They  are  strongly  inclined  to  turn  from  the  truth.  The  great 
adversary  of  God,  and  of  your  souls,  will  employ  every  stratagem 
to  blind  your  minds,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ 
should  shine  tinto  them.  The  world  is  at  enmity  with  God,  and 
in  opposition  to  his  truth,  and  his  ways,  and  its  influence  will 
operate  powerfully  to  carry  you  down  with  its  fatal  current.  If 
vou  would  not  draw  back,  even  to  perdition,  you  must  deny 
yourselves,  you  must  resist  the  devil,  you  must  overcome  the  world. 
You  must  repent  and  believe  with  all  your  heart,  and  lay  holdoa 
that  hope,  which  is  an  anchor  to  the  soul,  s7ire  and  steadfast. 


SERMON  XVII. 

THE  END  OF  THEM  THAT  OBEY  NOT  THE  GOSPEL, 


»et 


1  Peter  iv.  17. 
What  shall  the  end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  God  ? 

Never,  my  hearers,  was  a  more  solemn  question  propound- 
ed for  the  consideration  of  man.  For,  who  is  not  infinitely  con- 
cerned to  know  what  is  to  be  his  end .?  Who  is  not  concerned  to 
Icnow,  whether  the  way,  in  which  he  is  going,  leads  to  happiness, 
or  to  misery .'' 

In  our  context,  the  holy  apostle  exhorts  christians  to  pa- 
tience, confidence  in  God,  vigilance,  and  circumspection,  amidst 
the  persecutions  and   afflictions  of  their   pilgrimage.     Beloved, 
think  it  not  strange  concerning  the  fiery  trial  which  is  to  try  you, 
as  though  some  strange  thing  happened  unto  you  ;    hut  rejoice, 
in  as  much  as  ye  are  partakers  of  Christ's  sufferings,  that,  when 
his  glory  shall  be  revealed,  ye  may  he  glad  also  with  exceeding 
joy.     If  ye  be  reproached  for  the  name  of  Christ,  happy  are  ye; 
for  the  spirit  of  glory  and  of  God  resteth  upon  you.     On  their 
part  he  is  evil  spoken  of;  but  on  your  part  he  is  glorified.     But 
let  none  of  you  suffer  as  a  murderer,  or  as  a  thief,  or  as  an  evil- 
doer, or  as  a  busy  body  in  other  men's  matters.     Yet,  if  any  man 
suffer  as  a  christian,  let  him  not  he  ashamed;  hut  let  him  glorify 
God  on  this  behalf     For  the  time  is  come,  that  judgment  must 
begin  at  the  house  of  God  ;  and  if  it  first  begin  at  v-s,  what 


'*'♦) 


202  SERMON  XVII. 

SHALL    THE  END  BE  OF  THEM  THAT    OBEY  NOT  THE  GOSPEL  OV 

GOD  ?  It  is  the  wise  appointment  of  God,  that  his  people  should 
be  exercised,  and  especially  at  particular  times,  with  severe  con- 
flicts and  trials,  for  the  proving  of  their  faith,  and  for  the  purify- 
ing of  their  hearts.  These  are  chastisements  from  their  heaven- 
ly Father ;  but  while  they  are  intended  for  their  good,  they  bear 
a  fearful  aspect  upon  the  unbelieving  world.  For,  "  if  God's 
paternal  chastisements  be  often  so  severe ;  what  must  his  vindic- 
tive judgments  be  .'^"    J^  judgment  begin  at  the  house  of  God, 

WHAT  WILL  THE  END  BE  OF  THEM  THAT  OBEY  NOT  THE  GOS- 


PEL OF  GOD 


In  attending  to  this  solemn  question,  we  are  naturally  led  to 
consider, 

I.  Who  they  are  that  obey  not  the  gospel ;  and, 

II.  What  their  end  must  be. 

I.  Who  are  they  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  God  ? 

That  the  true  answer  to  this  inquiry  may  be  perceived,  it  is 
necessary  to  know  what  the  gospel  is,  and  what  it  requires. 
What,  then,  is  the  gospel,  and  what  are  its  requirements  ? 

The  gospel  is  a  revelation  from  God  to  men,  proclaiming 
salvation,  and  declaring  the  way  in  which  salvation  is  to  be  ob- 
tained. This  revelation  commenced  immediately  after  the  fall 
of  our  first  parents ;  was  afterwards  spoken  at  sundry  times  and 
in  divers  manners,  but  with  increasing  cleavness,  by  the  prophets ; 
and  was  at  length  completed,  and  fully  promulgated,  by  the 
ministration  of  the  Lord  from  heaven,  and  his  holy  apostles. 
The  gospel  is  contained  in  the  Bible,  that  holy  book,  which  God 
has  given  to  mankind  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction, 
for  instruction  in  righteousness  ;  and  all  that  is  said  in  the  Bible, 
concerning  our  salvation,  or  tending  to  show  what  is  necessary 
to  our  obtaining  the  favour  of  God,  and  everlasting  life  with  him, 
belongs  to  the  gospel. 

The  gospel  supposes  mankind  to  be  in  a  fallen  and  lost  state  ; 
in  a  state  of  sin  and  condemnation,  of  ruin  and  misery ;  and  it 
proceeds,  throughout,  upon  this  affecting  assumption.  The  first 
enunciation  of  it  was  made  to  our  first  parents,  in  reference  to 
their  fall ;  when  the  Seed  of  the  woman,   then  promised,  made 


SERMON    XVir.  203 

his  appearance  in  tiie  world,  he  declared  that  he  came  to  seek 
and  to  save  the  lost  ;  and  the  scriptures  tlnoughout  assert, 
that,  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin  ; 
and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned. 
The  gospel  is  the  voice  of  heavenly  mercy,  proclaiming  salva- 
tion;— salvation  from  what?  From  sin,  from  guilt,  from  just 
condemnation,  from  death  and  everlasting  destruction.  The 
Son  of  God  has  died  for  us  ;  for  all  mankind  ; — for  what  end  ? 
That  he  might  be  a  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and  for  the  sins  of 
the  tvhole  world.  ;  that,  being  made  a  curse  for  us,  he  might  re- 
deem us  from  the  curse  of  the  law  ;  that,  bearing  our  sins  in  his 
oivn  body  on  the  tree,  he  might  obtain  eternal  redemption  for  us. 
According  to  the  gospel,  then,  the  ivhole  U'orld  lieth  in  wicked- 
ness, and  condemnation.  All  men  have  sinned,  and  come  short 
of  the  glory  of  God;  have  fallen  under  the  curse  of  his  right- 
eous law ;  have  incurred  his  holy  displeasure  ;  have  become 
liable  to  indignation  and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  forever. 
'It  is  from  this  guilty  and  vvoful  condition,  that  the  gospel  pro- 
claims salvation,  and  shows  us  the  way  in  which  salvation  is  to 
be  obtained.     It  is,  on  this  account,  good  news — good  tidings 

OF  GREAT  JOy- 

But,  what  is  the  way  in  which  this  salvation  is  to  be  obtain- 
ed ?  Or,  what  does  the  gospel  require  ?  The  gospel  requires  re- 
pentance towards  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Jesus  Christ  preached  repentance  and  faith ;  his  apostles  preach- 
ed repentance  and  faith  ;  the  gospel,  throughout,  inculcates  re- 
pentance and  faith,  as  indispensably  necessary  to  salvation. 

Repentance  towards  God  : — What  is  this  ?  It  is  turning  from 
sin  to  God.  Let  us  hear  the  scriptures.  Let  the  wicked  for- 
sake his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts  ;  and  let  him 
return  unto  the  Lord.  Cast  away  from  you  all  your  transgres- 
sions, whereby  ye  have  transgressed  ;  and  make  you  a  new  neart, 
and  anew  spirit ;  for  vjhy  will  ye  die  "? — A  new  heart  also  uill  I 
give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  ivill  I  put  within  you,  and  I  will  take 
away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  an 
heart  of  flesh.  And  I  will  put  my  spirit  within  you,  and  cause 
you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  judgments  and 


204  SERMON   XVIL 

do  them Then  shall  you  remember  your  own  evil  ivays, 

and  your  doings  that  were  not  good,  and  shall  loathe  yourselves 
in  your  own  sight  for  your  iniquities,  and  for  your  abominations. 
Such  is  the  repentance  which  the  gospel  requires.  It  includes 
a  change  of  heart  and  hfe.  It  implies  a  deep  consciousness  of 
sin,  of  inward  depravity  and  outward  transgression  ;  a  deep  sense 
of  the  evil  and  hateful  nature  of  all  sin,  and  humble  acceptance 
of  deserved  punishment,  or  acknowledgment  that  the  punishment 
would  be  just.  It  consists  in  turning  from  sin,  with  contrition 
and  self-loathing,  and  sincere  desires  towards  God,  and  the  re- 
membrance of  his  name.  It  leads,  in  fine,  to  the  utter  forsaking 
of  evil  thoughts  and  ways,  to  walk,  with  new  obedience,  in  the 
statutes  and  commandments  of  the  Lord. 

Faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ : — What  is  this  ?  It  is  be- 
lieving, both  witli  the  understanding  and  the  heart,  what  the 
scriptures  testif}'  of  Christ ;  receiving  him,  in  his  true  character 
and  offices,  as  the  only  Saviour  of  men,  and  trusting  in  him,  in 
bis  atonement  and  righteousness,  in  the  merits  of  his  obedience 
and  sufferings,  for  the  pardon  of  sin,  for  justification  with  God, 
and  for  everlasting  life.  Jls  many  as  received  him,  to  them 
gave  he  poiver,  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  be- 
lieve ON  HIS  name;  which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the 
ivill  of  the  jlesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  hut  of  God. — In  Christ 
Jesus,  neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision ; 

BUT  FAITH  THAT  WORKETH  BY  LOVE. If  thoU  shalt  COufcSS  with 

thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thy  heart 
that  God  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  he  saved. 
For  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness, 
and  tvith  the  mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation. — Being 
justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in 
Christ  Jesus ;  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  he  a  propitiation, 
through  faith  in  his  blood. — Knowing  that  a  man  is  not 
justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the  faith  of  christ, 
even  we  have  believed  in  jesus  christ,  that  we  might  be 
justified  by  the  faith  of  CHRIST,  and  not  by  the  works  of 
the  law ;  for,  by  the  works  of  the  laiv  shall  no  flesh  he  justified. 
Faith,  without  works,  is  dead.     In  these  scriptural  repre- 


SERMON  XVll.  205 

isentalions,  the  nature  and  chaiacier  of  the  faith,  which  the  gos- 
pel requires,  may  be  clearly-  seen.  It  is  a  faith  which,  hke  re- 
pentance, implies  a  new  heart ;  or,  a  being  born  again,  not  of 
blood,  nor  of  the  will  ofthcfcsh,  nor  of  the  ivill  of  man  ;  but  of 
God.  It  is  a  faith,  by  which  Christ  is  truly  and  cordially  re- 
ceived, and  which  worketh  by  love  ;  love  to  God,  love  to  Christ, 
love  of  his  truth,  of  his  commandments,  and  of  his  cause  and 
kingdom.  It  is  a  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ;  in  his  blood,  as 
an  atonement,  and  the  only  atonement  for  sin  ;  the  propitiation, 
through  which  alone  we  can  have  peace  with  God.  It  is  a  faith, 
which  carries  in  it  an  utter  renunciation  of  all  claim  to  justitica- 
tion  by  the  deeds  of  the  law ;  of  all  hope  of  acceptance  with 
God,  on  account  of  personal  merit,  or  goodness;  and  a  hearty 
acknowledgment  of  the  merits  of  Christ,  as  the  only  ground  of 
justification,  and  of  good  hope  towards  God.  And  it  is  a  faith, 
different  from  that  which,  being  without  works,  is  dead.  Rooted 
in  the  heart,  and  working  by  love,  it  is  a  living,  active  principle, 
which  purifies  the  heart  and  life,  presents  the  body  a  living  sacri- 
fice, holy,  acceptable  to  God,  gives  the  victory  over  the  world, 
and  makes  manifest  its  heavenly  origin,  by  abounding  in  good 
fruits — in  whatsoever  things  are  just,  true,  honest,  pure,  lovely, 
and  of  good  report. 

They  thc(t  obey  not  the  gospel  of  God,  are  they  that  have  not 
tlie  repentance  and  fahh  now  described.  Do  whatever  else 
they  may,  if  men  do  not  truly  repent  of  sin,  and  believe  in 
Christ,  they  ai-e  utterly  disobedient  to  the  gospel ;  they  are  dis- 
obedient to  its  first  and  highest  requirements,  and  do  nothing  in 
the'  temper  and  spirit,  which  h  constantly  inculcates,  and  which 
only  it  approves. 

It  were,  then,  superfluous  to  say,  that  infidels,  who  utterly 
deny  and  discard  the  gospel,  are  of  the  number  of  those,  who 
do  not  obey  it.  Nor  less  superfluous  were  it  to  say,  that  such 
also  are  they,  who  are  openly  irreligious,  immoral,  and  vicious  j 
the  contemners  of  the  holy  sabbath,  those  who  neglect  God's 
worship  and  sacred  institutions,  the  scoffers  at  religion,  the  des- 
pisers  of  them  that  are  good,  the  profane,  the  dishonest,  the  rn- 


"206  SERMON   XVll. 

leniperate,  the  lewd,  the  dissolute.  But,  are  these  all  that  obey 
not  the  gospel  of  God? 

If  there  are  persons,  who  professedly  acknowledge  the  Bible 
ro  be  from  God,  and  yet  deny,  in  detail,  its  principal  and  funda- 
mental truths,  what  shall  we  say  of  them  ?  Do  they  obey  the 
gospel  of  God  ?  Have  they  that  faith,  which  the  gospel  requires, 
a  cordial  belief  of  the  truth  ?  If  there  are  persons,  who  are  moral 
and  regular  in  their  lives,  and  outwardly  observant  ol  all  leligious 
institutions ;  and  yet  trust  in  themselves  that  they  are  righteous, 
and  rely  on  their  own  supposed  goodness  for  acceptance  with 
God,  and  eternal  hfe ;  or  do  not  entirely  and  heartily  renounce 
all  dependence  on  themselves,  and  rely  solely  and  fiducially  on 
the  merits  of  Christ's  obedience  and  sufferings  for  justification 
and  salvation;  what  shall  we  say  of  them  .''  Do  they  obey  the 
gospel  of  God  ?  Are  they  not  hke  the  Pharisees  of  old,  who 
went  about  to  establlah  their  own  righteousness,  and  would  not 
submit  themselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God,  nor  so  believe  in 
Christ  as  to  be  saved  by  him  ?  Are  there  persons,  who  profess 
a  belief  in  the  true  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  declare  their  renun- 
ciation of  their  own  righteousness,  and  their  reliance  solely  on 
the  righteousness  of  Christ ;  contend  for  salvation,  not  by  works, 
but  by  grace  ;  and  would  be  thought  to  iiave  been  born  again, 
and  to  possess  high  religious  hopes  and  joys  ;  and  yet  do  not 
shovv'  their  faith  by  their  works;  and,  instead  of  being  meek  and 
lowly,  patient  and  forgiving,  just  and  honest,  attentive  to  the  va- 
lious  duties  of  life,  and  active  and  zealous  in  promoting  the  cause 
of  Christ,  are  proud  and  passionate,  unstable  and  irregular, 
covetous  and  worldly,  selfish  and  sordid,  slanderous  and  injuri- 
ous, what  shall  we  say  of  them  ?  Do  they  obey  the  gospel  of 
God.''  Do  they  bring  forth  f7-uits  meet  for  repentance?  Have 
tliey  that  faith  which  loorketh  by  love,  and  purifeth  the  heart, 
and  overcometh  the  world'? — Alas  !  my  hearers,  what  multitudes 
there  are,  of  different  classes  and  descriptions,  who  do  not  obey 
the  gospel  of  God. 

Need  it  be  distinctly  repeated,  that  all  who  have  not  turned 
penitently,  and  with  a  new  heart,  and  a  new  spirit,  from  sin  to 
God ;  who  do  not  beheve   in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  that 


SERMON   XVIf.  oor 

faith  which  workethby  love  to  God  and  men,  embraces  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  relies  on  him  alone  for  salvation  ;  and  who 
do  not  do  justly,  and  love  mercy,  and  xvalk  humbly  with  God,  in 
newness  of  life;  whatever  their  characters  in  other  respects  may 
be,  and  whatever  their  pretensions,  professions,  and  hopes,  must, 
before  God,  be  accounted  as  persons  who  do  not  obey  his  gos- 
pel.    Let  us,  then, 

II.  Consider,  very  seriously,  what  their  end  must  be,  if  they 
continue  disobedient. 

The  peculiar  manner,  in  vdiich  the  apostle  speaks  of  their 
end,  solemnly  intimates  that  it  must  be  dreadful,  beyond  doubt 
and  beyond  expression.  Judgment  must  begin  at  the  house  of 
God;  and  if  it  first  begin  at  us,  what  shall  the  end  be  of 
THEM  THAT  OBEY  NOT  THE  GOSPEL.^  And,  he  adds,  ifthcright- 
eous  scarcely  be  saved,  where  shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner 
appear  9  He  does  not  give  the  answer ;  but  tacitly  appeals  to 
the  conscience  of  all,  whether  the  end  of  the  disobedient,  the 
ungodly,  and  the  sinner,  must  not  certainly  be  inexpressibly 
dreadful.  And,  that  it  must  be  so  is  evident,  from  the  condition 
in  which  the  gospel  finds  mankind,  and  from  which  it  offers  to 
save  them. 

As  before  noticed,  mankind  are  all,  naturally,  in  a  state  of 
sin  and  condemnation ;  ahenated  from  God,  under  the  curse  of 
his  righteous  law,  and  hable  to  everlasting  destruction  and  mise- 
ry. The  gospel  proclaims  salvation,  and  points  out  the  way  in 
which  alone  salvation  may  be  obtained.  It  comes  from  God. 
expressly  for  this  purpose ;  and  purports,  throughout,  to  be  the 
only  remedy  for  fallen  men.  All  who  obey  the  gospel  shall  cer- 
tainly be  saved.  It  is  the  piower  of  God  unto  salvation,  to  every 
one  that  believeth ;  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Gentile. 
But  all  who  disobey,  still  remain  in  sin  and  condemnation. 
This  is  most  exj)licitly  and  abundantly  declared.  .John,  the 
harbinger  of  the  Saviour,  says.  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath 
everlasting  life  ;  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see 
life;  but  the  ivrath  of  God  ahidcth  on  him.  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self says.  He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already  ;  and  has 
given  it  in  solemn  charge  to  his  ministers  constantly  to  testify. 


208  SERMON  XVII. 

that  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.  One  apostle,  speak* 
ing  of  the  Lord  Jesas  Christ,  expressly  declares,  that  there  is 
no  salvation  in  any  other ;  for  there  is  none  other  name  under 
heaven,  given  among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved  ;  and  another 
apostle  puts  the  question  in  the  most  solemn  form,  How  shall 
ive  escape,  if  ive  neglect  so  great  salvation  ?  The  case,  then,  is 
clear,  beyond  a  reasonable  doubt,  that,  continuing  disobedient  to 
the  gospel,  men  will  not,  and  cannot  be  saved.  They  remain 
under  condemnation,  and  the  ivrath  of  God  abideth  on  them. 

It  deserves,  also,  to  be  very  seriously  considered,  that  they 
who  live  under  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  persist  in  disobedi- 
ence to  it,  not  only  remain  under  condemnation  ;  but  their  con- 
demnation must  be  terribly  enhanced,  by  their  rejection  and 
abuse  of  its  truth  and  grace.  To  this  effect,  again,  we  have 
strong  and  memorable  declarations.  Hearken  to  the  awful  de- 
nunciations of  Christ  himself.      Wo  unto  thee,   Chorazin  !    Wo 

unto  thee,  Bethsaida! It  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre 

and  Sidon,  in  the  day  of  judgment,   than  for  you.     And  thou^ 

Capernaum ! It  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of 

Sodom,  in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  thee.     The  reason  of 
these  terrible  denunciations   was,   that  the  inhabitants  of  these 
devoted  cities  had  been  peculiarly  favoured  with  the  gospel,  but 
would  not  obey  it.     Says  the  apostle  to  the  Hebrews,  He  that 
despised  Moses''  law  died  without  mercy,  under  two  or  three  wit- 
nesses.    Of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be 
thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God^ 
and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was 
sanctified,   an  unholy  thing,   and  hath  done  despite  to  the  Spirit 
of  grace.     For  we  know  him  that  hath  said,  Vengeance  belongetk 
unto  me,  I  ivill  recompense,  saith  the  Lord It  is  a  fear- 
ful thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living   God.     Yes,  my 
hearers,  it  must  be   so.     If  God,  of  his   infinite  goodness,  has 
given  his  Son  to  be  our  Redeemer  and  Saviour  ;    if  the  Son  of 
God  has  come  down  from  heaven  and  died  for  us,  that  he  might 
redeem  us  with  his  own  blood  ;  if  the  pardon  of  sin,  and  ever^ 
lasting  life,  are  freely  offered  to  us  by  him,  on  the  reasonable 
terms  of  repentance  for  sin,  and  faith  in  this  Saviour  ;  il  the  gos- 


SERMON  XVIl.  <209 

pel  of  this  salvation  is  sent  unto  us,  and  we  are  called  upon,  from 
the  throne  of  heaven,  to  receive  its  unspeakable  blessings  ;  and 
if  we  disobey  this  heavenly  call,  trample  upon  this  precious 
blood,  refuse  this  infinite  grace,  and  still  continue  in  sin,  our 
guilt  must  be  incalculably  augmented,  and  our  condemnation  in- 
expressibly enhanced.  At  a  rate,  beyond  all  reckoning,  we 
treasure  up  to  ourselves  ivrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,  and 
revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God.  Well,  then,  may 
the  question  be  put  to  every  conscience,  fVhat  will  the  end  be  of 
them  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  God  9 

The  end.  Death  is,  in  a  sense,  the  end  of  mankind.  It  is 
the  end  of  their  earthly  existence,  and  of  all  their  earthly  pleas- 
ures, pursuits,  and  hopes.  It  is  the  end  of  their  season  for  at- 
tending on  the  ministration  of  the  gospel;  the  end  of  their  pro- 
bationary state.  But,  how  will  it  be  with  them  that  obey  not  the 
gospel,  at  death  ?  Will  they  then  have  peace  .''  Will  they  die  in 
the  Lord,  and  have  his  rod  and  staff  to  comfort  them  in  the  dark 
valley  .'*  Will  they  be  cheered  with  the  light  of  heaven,  and 
animated  with  a  hope  full  of  immortality  ?  Ah,  terrible  reverse 
of  all  this.  Possibly,  indeed,  they  may  be  so  hardened,  as  to 
remain  stupid  and  unalarmed,  and  meet  the  king  of  terrors  with 
a  sort  of  stoickal  bravery,  called  by  the  pride  of  this  world,  firm- 
ness and  philosophy ;  but  even  this  will  assuredly  forsake  them, 
when  they  awake  in  eternity,  and  give  place  to  terrors,  which  no 
tongue  can  describe.  Nay,  they  may  even  be  so  deluded  as  to 
carry  with  them,  to  the  hour  of  death,  a  fond,  a  visionary  hope 
of  happiness  hereafter  ;  but,  when  God  taketh  away  the  soul^ 
that  hope  shall  perish,  and  be  succeeded  by  total  and  woful  des- 
pair. More  probably,  however,  when  they  come  to  lie  down  on 
the  bed  of  death,  their  souls  will  be  pierced  through  widi  many 
sorrows ;  be  racked  with  torturing  remorse,  distracted  with 
hideous  forebodings,  and  filled  with  a  horrour  of  great  darkness^ 
Certain  it  is,  they  will  know  nothing  of  the  ineffable  peace  of 
those,  whose  death  \s  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  who 
are  blessed  with  the  manifestations  of  his  everlasting  love. 

But  death  is  not  absolutely  their  end.     Though  it  terminate 
their  earthly  scenes,  their  probationary  state,  and,  of  courser  all 


210  SERMON  XVU. 

iheir  joys,  and  all  their  hopes,  it  will  not  tenniiiato  then-  exist- 
ence. When  they  die,  they  will  pass  into  another,  and  a  vevy 
difierent  state  from  this  ;  a  state,  which  iniinile  wisdom  has  s'-en 
fit  to  vail  from  the  view  of  mortals  here  on  earth,  and  of  which 
we  can  have,  while  here,  but  very  imperfect  knowledge.  Some 
notices,  how^ever,  are  given  us,  suited  to  fill  the  mind  with  most 
fearful  apprehensions.  We  hear  of  the  rich  sinner,  in  hell,  lift- 
ing up  his  eyes,  being  in  torments,  and  pleading  for  a  drop  of 
water  to  cool  his  burning  tongue.  We  hear  of  the  worm  that 
never  dies,  of  the  fire  that  shall  never  be  quenched.  We  hear  of 
the  judgment  day ;  of  the  trump  of  God  breaking  the  slumbers 
of  the  grave ;  of  the  rising  of  the  dead,  some  to  immortal  life 
and  glory,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt;  of  the 
heavens  passing  away  with  a  great  noise,  the  elements  melting 
with  fervent  heat,  and  the  world,  and  all  that  therein  is,  being 
burned  up.  We  hear  of  the  books  being  opened  ;  of  the  sen- 
tence, Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed  ;  of  all,  who  obey  not  the  gos^ 
pel,  being  2?MwwAet/  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  hie  power.  We  hear  of  their 
going  away  into  never  ending  punishment ;  of  their  being  cast 
into  a  lake  which  borneth  with  fire  and  brimstone  ;  of  their  weep- 
ing, and  wailing,  and  gnashing  their  teeth  ;  of  God's  raining 
upon  them  an  horrible  tempest ;  and  of  the  smoke  of  their  torment 
ascending  up  forever  and  ever.  Some  of  these,  indeed,  are 
figurative  representations ;  but,  let  it  be  remembered,  they  are 
not  fictitious.  They  are  not  the  frightful  figments  of  a  distem- 
pered imagination.  They  are  such  representations  as  the  Spirit 
of  wisdom  and  of  truth  has  seen  fit  to  employ,  to  convey  to  our 
minds  some  ideas,  very  inadequate,  doubtless,  and  far  short  of 
the  dreadful  reality,  of  the  state  of  eternal  wo. 

What,  then,  shall  the  end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gospel 
of  God ^  The  question  returns  upon  us  with  awful  solemnity; 
and  who  is  there  present,  who  is  not  now  prepared  to  answer, 
it  must  be  certainly  and  unutterably  dreadful  ? — The  end. 
The  expression  is  appallingly  momentous.  If  such  as  we  now 
contemplate  were  to  be  their  state  only  for  a  short  time,  it  would 
be,  comparatively,  but  a  light  thing.     If  it  were  a  state  destined 


SERMON   XVII.  211 

lo  continue  tor  any  limited  period,  though  it  were  for  thousands 
of  years,  or  even  for  niiUions  of  miUions  of  ages,  and  then  to 
cease,  and  to  be  succeeded  by  a  state  of  happiness,  it  would  still 
be  comparatively  tolerable.  But,  this  is  to  be  their  end — their 
last,  their  eternal  state.  Eternity  !  Eternity  1  It  is  this,  which 
consummates  tiie  wo  !  It  is  this,  which  will  fill  them  with  utter 
despair  ! 

My  hearers,  is  it  not  astonishing  that  any  can  live  in  disobe- 
dience to  the  gospel,  and  yet  feel  unconcerned  .''  Is  is  not  amaz- 
ing that  any  can  hear  the  gospel,  and  believe  it  to  be  from  God, 
and  yet  imagine  that  they  themselves,  or  others,  may  be  happy 
hereafter,  though  they  do  not  obey  it .''  Yet,  how  common  a 
thing  is  this  !  How  common  for  persons  to  live  unconcerned,  in 
neglect  of  this  great  salvation  !  To  contemplate  the  end  of  those, 
wlio  obey  not  the  gospel,  as  being  such  as  the  gospel  represents, 
is,  indeed,  most  distressing,  and  revolting  to  the  mind.  But, 
what  saitli  the  scripture  .''  O  that  they  were  wise,  that  they  un- 
derstood this,  that  they  would  consider  their  latter  end  !  This 
pathetic  language  strongly  imports,  that  it  is  the  part  of  wisdom 
not  to  eudeavoiiv  to  put  far  away  the  evil  day,  or  to  keep  the 
awful  scene  out  of  sight;  but,  seriously  to  meditate  upon  it,  and 
bring  it  home  to  the  mind.  Be  wise,  then,  my  hearers,  and  do 
this.  Consider  your  latter  end.  Think  of  the  hour  of  death, 
with  all  its  gloomy  concomitants ;  the  racking  pains — the  dis- 
tracting thoughts — the  fearful  bodings — the  ghastly  countenance — 
the  fluttering  pulse — the  fixed  eye — the  opening  views  of  the 
world  to  come — the  final  parting  with  friends — the  wreck  of  all 
earthly  hopes  and  prospects — the  everlasting  adieu  to  the  W'orld, 
and  all  its  scenes — the  deathful  gasp — the  shrowd — the  coffin — 
and  the  grave. — Think  of  the  immortal  soul,  taking  its  flight  into 
the  unseen  world,  without  a  Saviour,  without  an  angel's  friendly 
offices,  without  light,  without  hope ;  distracted  with  terror, 
pierced  with  anguish,  overwhelmed  with  distress  and  despair. — 
Think  of  the  day  of  judgment;  of  the  descending  God — the  ris- 
ing dead — the  burning  world — the  full  disclosure  of  all  actions 
and  characters — the  sentence  upon  the  righteous,  and  that  upon 
(he  wicked — the  ascent  of  the  one  class,  with  their  Redeemer 


212  SERMON  XVII. 

and  God,  to  the  mansions  of  everlasting  joy  ;  and  the  descent  of 
the  other,  with  the  devil  and  his  angels,  to  the  dismal  abodes  of 
everlasting  darkness  and  wo. — Think  of  eternity  ;  of  the  worm 
that  never  dies,  of  the  fire  that  shall  never  be  quenched,  of  the 
blackness  and  darkness,  the  despair  and  wo,  forever  !  Let  your 
thoughts  dwell  on  these  things,  until  you  feel,  irresistibly,  the 
solemnity  and  force  of  the  question,  M'Tiat  shall  the  end  be  of 
ihem  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  God  ?  until  you  be  effectually 
convinced  of  the  i  oily  and  madness  of  neglecting  this  great  salva- 
tion ;  until  you  be  persuaded  to^ee  from  the  wrath  which  is  to 
come  ;  and,  by  true  repentance  and  faith,  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope 
set  before  you. — And  may  God  have  mercy  on  you,  and  grant 
his  grace  for  your  obedience  to  the  gospel,  unto  salvation  with 
eternal  glory,  for  his  dear  Son  our  Saviour's  sake. — Amen. 


SERMON  XVm. 

glory  of  christ  in  his  humiliation. 

John  i.  14. 

And  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  hegotten  of  the  Father,. 

JL  HE  humiliation  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  has  always  been 
a  stone  of  stumbling  to  the  unbelieving  world.  In  the  history  of 
the  reputed  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  of  Nazareth,  they  see  a 
man,  who  was  born  in  circumstances  of  poverty  and  abasement ; 
who  grew  up  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground  ;  who  spent  the  first 
thirty  years  of  his  life  in  obscurity ;  who,  when  he  assumed  a 
pubUc  character,  and  manifested  himself  to  Israel,  was  despised 
and  rejected  of  men  ;  and  who,  after  going  about  from  place  to 
place,  for  two  or  three  years,  not  having  where  to  lay  his  head, 
was  at  length  seized  as  a  malefactor,  brought  to  trial  under  cir- 
cumstances of  unexampled  indignity,  and  finally  put  to  the  igno- 
minious death  of  the  cross,  without  the  gate  of  Jerusalem.  In 
all  this  they  see  but  little  to  excite  in  their  minds  any  sentiments 
or  feelings,  other  than  of  contempt,  mingled  perhaps  with  pity. 
In  a  Saviour,  such  as  this  history  presents,  they  see  no  beauty, 
that  they  should  desire  him. — But,  my  brethren,  while  Christ 
crucified  is  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling  block,  and  to  the  Greeks 
foolishness  ;  unto  those  who  beheve,  he  is  the  power  of  God,  and 
the  wisdom  of  God.  While  in  the  humiliation  of  the  Saviour, 
the  proud  world  sees  notliing  but  meanness  and  ignominy,  his 


214  SERMON   XVm. 

liumble  followers  discern  unparalleled  greatness  and  dignity. 
It  was  in  the  days  of  his  jlish^  in  the  days  of  his  abasement  and 
suffering,  tliat  his  disciples  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the 
only  begotten  of  the  Father. 

At  a  memorable  period  of  his  publick  ministry,  Jesus  took 
three  of  his  disciples  and  went  up  into  a  mount,  and  was  trans- 
figured before  them;  and  his  face  did  shine  as  the  sun,  and  his 
raiment  was  white  as  the  light.  Moses  and  Elijah  appeared  and 
conversed  with  him ;  a  cloud  overshadowed  them  ;  and  a  voice 
from  the  cloud  was  heai'd,  This  is  my  beloved  Son  ;  hear  ye  him. 
John  was  one  of  the  three  disciples,  who  were  present  on  the 
occasion,  and  witnessed  this  scene  of  celestial  splendour ;  and 
to  this  there  may  probably  be  an  allusion  in  our  text.  It  was 
not,  however,  in  that  instance  only,  that,  while  the  Saviour  in 
the  flesh  dwelt  among  men,  his  divine  glory  was  to  be  seen ; 
this  glory  was  displayed  in  the  whole  of  his  humiliation.  To 
make  tliis  appear  is  at  present  my  principal  design.  I  propose 
to  shew,  under  several  leading  particulars,  in  what  respects  the 
glory  of  our  Redeemer  was  manifested,  in  his  humiliation;  the 

GLORY  AS  OF  THE  ONLY  BEGOTTEN  OF  THE  FATHER. 

When  Moses  desired  to  see  the  glory  of  Jehovah,  Jehovah 
passed  before  him,  and  proclaimed  his  name  ;  Jehovah,  Jehovah 
God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in 
goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  in- 
iquity, and  transgression,  and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means 
clear  the  guilty.  This  name  coniprises  his  glory,  the  glory  of 
the  Father,  and  the  glory  of  the  Son  ;  and  it  was  by  the  Son, 
we  may  be  assured,  that  this  name  was  thus  proclaimed  ;  for 
no  man  hath  seen  God  the  Father,  at  any  time.  If,  then,  in  the 
humiliation  of  Jesus  Christ,  a  glory  was  manifested,  correspond- 
ing with  this  name,  it  was  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of 
the  Father.     And  that  such  a  glory  was  manifested  is  evident, 

I.  From  his  freely  condescending  to  undergo  his  humiliation. 

There  is  little  honour,  indeed,  in  submitting  to  sufferings 
which  cannot  be  avoided  ;  in  consenting,  by  compulsion,  to 
what  one  dare  not  refuse  :  but  the  humiliation  of  Jesus  Christ 
was  perfectly  voluntary  and   free.     In  reference  to  this,  hear 


SERMON   XVIII.  215 

what  he  said  to  the  Father.  Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  icou^dest 
not,  but  a  body  hast  thou  jjrepared  me :  in  bnrnt  offerings  and 
sacrifices  for  sin  thou  hast  had  no  pleasure:  then  said  /,  Lo  I 
come,  in  the  vuluvic  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me:  /delight 
/o  do  thy  will,  O  God.  No  sacrifices  which  men  could  ir.ake 
would  have  been  sufficient  to  expiate  sin.  Lebanon  would  not 
have  been  sufficient  to  burn,  nor  the  beasts  thereof  sufficient  for 
a  burnt  offering.  No  creature  could  make  the  atonement.  It 
is  even,  indeed,  supposed  by  some,  that  the  memorable  words 
of  the  Son,  now  quoted,  import,  tliat  in  the  councils  of  heaven, 
tl.e  proposition  was  made  to  the  angels  who  surround  the  divine 
throne,  whether  any  of  them  would  or  could  undertake  the  re- 
demption of  fallen  man,  and  that  when  all  of  them  acknowledged 
their  utter  inability  to  perform  the  stupendous  work,  the  Son 
stood  forth,  and  declared  his  readiness  to  assume  the  under- 
taking. Just  as,  in  anotlier  case,  when,  according  to  a  vision  of 
John,  no  one  was  found  able  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the 
seven  seals  thereof,  the  Lamb  in  die  midst  of  the  throne  appear- 
ed, and  took  and  opened  the  book.  Be  this  as  it  may,  it  is  cer- 
tain, however,  that  in  the  whole  of  his  humiliation  and  work,  the 
Redeemer  was  perfectly  voluntary.  Hence  he  says,  Therefore 
doth  my  Father  love  me,  because  Hay  down  my  life,  that  I  might 
take  it  again.  JVo  one  hath  poioer  to  take  it  from  me  ;  but  Hay 
it  down  of  myself.  I  have  poiver  to  lay  it  down,  and  I  have 
power  to  take  it  again. 

It  should  also  be  considered  that,  when  the  Redeemer  freely 
undertook  the  work  of  our  redemption,  he  perfectly  knew  what 
sufferings  it  would  behoove  him  to  endure.  He  did  not  consent, 
without  knowing  what  he  must  suffer ;  but  the  entire  scene  was 
clearly  in  his  view.  He  knew  that  he  must  make  himself  of  no 
reputation,  take  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  be  made  irt 
the  likeness  of  men.  He  knew  that  he  must  endure  the  contra- 
diction of  sinners  against  himself.  He  knew  that  he  must  sus- 
tain the  agonies  of  Gethsemane,  and  bear  the  sins  of  many  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree.  It  was  in  view  of  all  this,  that  he  said, 
Lo,  1  come,  to  do  thy  will,  O  God  ;  and  while  he  was  actually 
jiassing  through  the   successive   stages  of  his   humiliation,  he 


•21G  SERMON   XVIII. 

cheerfully  pressed  forward  to  the  closing  scene.  I  have  abup'^ 
tism,  said  he  to  his  disciples,  I  have  a  baptism,  to  he  baptised 
ivith  ;  and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  accomplished  I — Behold 
we  go  np  to  Jerusalem,  and  the  Son  of  man  shall  be  betrayed 
unto  the  chief  priests,  and  unto  the  scribes,  and  they  shall  con- 
demn him  to  death  ;  and  shall  deliver  him  to  the  gentiles,  to  mock, 
and  to  scourge,  and  to  crucify  him. — When  his  time  was  come, 
he  steadfastly  set  his  face  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem }  and  to  Peter, 
in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  he  said,  The  cup  which  my  Father 
hath  given  me,  shall  I  not  drink  it  !■ 

Now,  my  brethren,  what  shall  we  say  to  all  this  ?  Do  we 
not  here  behold  a  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father'^  Who  but  the  Son  of  God  could  shew  such  condescen- 
sion, such  benevolence,  such  greatness,  such  dignity  ?  Though 
vailed  in  mortal  flesh,  is  not  the  God  clearly  to  be  discerned  ? 
Though  surrounded  with  circumstances  of  ignominy,  do  we  not 
see  in  him  the  brightness  of  the  Father''s  glory,  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person  ?  Does  not  the  whole  scene  correspond  to 
the  glorious  name,  whicii  was  proclaimed  at  Horeb  ? 

II.  That  in  the  humiliation  of  Christ,  a  glory  was  manifested, 
the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  may  farther  ap- 
pear, from  a  more  direct  view  of  the  greatness  of  the  sufferings 
which  he  sustained. 

Strength  and  greatness  are  evinced  by  sustaining  great  suffer- 
ings, as  well  as  by  performing  great  works.  But  the  sufferings 
sustained  by  Jesus  Christ  were  beyond  a  parallel.  His  suffer- 
ings began  as  soon  as  he  came  into  the  world,  and  till  the  time 
of  his  death,  he  was  a  man  ofsorroivs,  and  acquainted  with  grief . 
It  is  recorded,  not  only  by  christians,  but  also  by  pagans,  that  he 
was  never  seen  to  laugh,  but  often  seen  to  weep.  It  would  seem 
from  several  intimations  of  scripture,  that  he  w'as  exquisitely 
susceptible  of  pain ;  and  notwithstanding  the  firmness,  and  the 
fortitude,  with  which  he  sustained  his  sufferings  of  various  kinds, 
yet  he  felt  them  most  deeply.  Prophetically  personating  the 
Saviour,  the  Psalmist  says,  /  am  poured  out  like  water,  and  all 
my  bones  are  out  of  joint :  my  heart  is  like  wax,  it  is  melt- 
ed IN  THE  midst  of  MY  BOWELS.     Isaiah,  also,  prophetically 


SERMON  XVIll.  217 

says,  As  many  loere  astonished  at  thee  ;  his  visage  was  so 
MARRED  MORE  THAN  ANY  MAN,  and  hisfonn  niorc  than  the  sons  of 
men.  He  suffered  from  poverty  and  reproach ;  he  sustained  the 
most  violent  assaults  of  Satan ;  he  endured  the  contradictions  of 
sinners  against  himself;  he  felt  unspeakable  distress  for  the 
guilty  world,  which  he  came  to  redeem ;  but  the  height  of  his 
suiferings  consisted  in  his  so  bearing  the  sins  of  mankind,  as  to 
feel  a  most  awful  impression  of  the  divine  wrath  against  them. 
This  appears  from  many  express  declarations  of  scripture. 
Surely  he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows. — He 
was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  in- 
iquities ;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him,  and  by  his 
stripes  we  are  healed.  All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray  ;  toe 
have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way  ;  and  Jehovah  hath  laid  on 
him,  the  iniquities  of  us  all.  It  pleased  Jehovah  to  bruise,  or, 
in  the  force  of  the  original,  to  crush  him;  he  hath  put  him  to 
grief  He  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living;  for  the 
transgression  of  my  people  urns  he  stricken.  He  bore  the  sin  of 
many.  Awake,  O  sword,  against  my  Shepherd,  and  against  the 
man  that  is  my  fellow,  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts  ;  smite  the  Shep- 
herd, and  the  sheep  shall  be  scattered.  Such  are  some  of  the 
views  of  his  sufferings,  given  in  ancient  prophecy;  and  with 
these,  the  representations  of  them  given  in  the  New  Testament, 
exactly  agree.  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us,  for  he  bore  our  sins  in  his  own 
body  on  the  tree. — He  was  once  offered,  to  bear  the  sins  of  many. 
This  more  special  part  of  his  sufierings  commenced  in  the  gar- 
den of  Gethsemane.  After  retiring  from  the  chamber  of  the 
holy  supper,  to  that  place  of  his  wonted  resort,  he  took  luith  him 
Peter,  and  James,  and  John,  and  began  to  be  sore  amazed, 
and  to  be  very  heavy,  and  he  said  unto  them.  My  soul  is  ex- 
ceeding sorrowful  even  unto  death  :  tarry  ye  here  and 
watch.  And  he  went  forward  a  little,  and  fell  on  the  ground, 
and  prayed,  that  if  it  were  possible  the  hour  might  jiass  from  him  ! 
And  he  said,  Abba,  Father,  all  things  are  possible  unto  thee  ; 
take  away  this  cup  from  me !  J\''cverthchss,  not  ichat  J  will,  but 
jj^hat  thou  wilt. — And  being  in  an  agony,  he  prayed  more  earn- 


218  SERMON    XVllI. 

estly ;  and  iiis  sweat  was  as  it  were  great  drops  of  blood 
FALLING  DOWN  TO  THE  GROUND.  Tiic  amaziiig  sccne,  thus 
cominenced,  did  not  close,  till  he  expired  on  the  cross.  He 
was  seized  in  the  garden,  and  carried  into  Jerusalem ;  there  he 
suffered  the  most  flagitious  mockery  of  trial  after  trial,  and  the 
most  revolting  complication  of  insult  and  abuse ;  and  then  he 
was  led  fortli  to  the  place  called  Golgotha,  and  crucified.  While 
hanging  on  the  cross,  still  feeling  the  awful  impressions  of  the 
divine  wrath  against  the  iniquities  of  us  all,  which  he  bore,  he 
cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Eloi,  Eloi,  lama  sabacthani  ?  My  God, 
Mr  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me.^ 

My  brethren,  can  we  view  this  amazing  scene,  and  not  per- 
ceive, amidst  the  awful  darkness  which  surrounds  it,  a  glory,  as 
of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father"?  Who  but  the  Son  of  God 
could  have  sustained  sufferings  like  these  ?  Who  but  the  Son  of 
God  could  have  borne  the  sins  of  the  world  ?  sins,  the  infinite 
weight  of  which  must  otherwise  have  sunk  our  whole  guilty  race 
into  the  abyss  of  eternal  perdition  !  All  nature  felt  and  confessed 
that  these  were  not  the  sufferings  of  a  man  ;  not  the  sufferings  of 
any  mere  creature.  The  sun  was  covered  with  blackness ! — 
the  earth  shook  to  its  centre  !  and  a  heathen  centurion  cried  out, 
Truly  this  was  the  Son  of  God  ! 

III.  In  the  humiliation  of  Christ,  a  glory  appeared,  the  glory 
as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  in  the  more  than  human 
virtues  which  he  displayed  throughout  the  whole. 

Love  to  his  Father,  and  love  to  men,  pure,  perfect,  match- 
less love,  shone  with  unsullied  brightness,  in  every  stage  of  his 
life  and  sufferings.  It  was  his  meat  and  drink  to  do  the  will  of 
Ills  Father  ;  and  he  was  continually  enijiloyed  in  doing  good  to 
men.  He  was  holy,  harmless,  imdefled,  and  separate  from  sin- 
ners. When  he  was  reviled,  he  reviled  not  again ;  when  he 
suffered,  he  threatened  not.  Thougli  urged  by  the  most  powerful 
temptations  of  Satan,  and  provocations  of  men,  he  was  perfectly 
without  sin.  His  integrity,  his  meekness,  his  patience,  his  re- 
signation, his  love,  though  put  to  the  severest  trials,  never  falter- 
ed, were  never  found  wanting.  From  the  mount  of  Olives, 
when  going  to  Jerusalem  to  surrender  himself  into  the  hands  o{ 


SERMON  XVIIf.  219 

his  enemies  there,  who  sought  his  hfe,  he  heJield  the  city,  and 
WEPT  OVER  IT,  saying,  Oh  that  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at 
least,  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  to  thy  peace !  but 
noio  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes!  In  the  height  of  his  agony  in 
the  garden,  he  prayed  and  said,  O  my  Father,  if  this  cup  may 
not  pass  away  from  me,  except  I  drink  it,  thv  will  be  done. 
At  the  bar  of  the  Sanhedrim,  of  Pilate,  and  of  Herod,  though 
he  was  oppressed  and  afflicted,  yet  he  opened  not  his  mouth.  He 
was  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her 
shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth.  When  expiring 
upon  the  cross,  praying  for  his  murderous  enemies,  he  said. 
Father,  forgive  them;  for  they  know  not  what  they 
DO  ! — View  all  this,  my  brethren,  and  say.  Do  you  not  perceive 
a  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father?  Yes, 
verily,  Jesus  Christ  lived,  and  Jesus  Christ  died,  as  became  the 
Son  of  God  ! — Once  more, 

IV.  If  we  contemplate  the  end  which  he  had  in  view,  in  un- 
dergoing his  humiUation,  his  glory  in  it  may  appear  with  a  still 
brighter  light. 

The  end  which  he  had  in  view  was  tlie  glory  of  God,  in  the 
eternal  salvation  of  men.  He  says  of  himself,  that  he  came  into 
the  world  to  save  that  which  was  lost.  And  in  a  memorable  ad- 
dress to  his  Father,  just  before  his  death,  he  said,  I  have  glori- 
fied thee  on  the  earth  ;  I  have  finished  the  work  which  thou  ga  vest 
me  to  do.  He  glorified  God,  by  exhibiting  to  the  world  the 
most  perfect  model  of  goodness ;  he  glorified  God,  by  display- 
ing before  the  universe  the  holiness  of  the  divine  character,  and 
of  the  divine  law,  in  the  doctrines  which  he  taught,  and  in  the 
atonement  for  sin  which  he  made ;  he  glorified  God,  by  opening 
the  way  for  all  the  divine  perfections  to  be  unfolded  with  infinite 
lustre,  in  pardoning  the  sins  of  unnumbered  millions  of  mankind, 
restoring  them  to  virtue  and  true  holiness,  and  raising  them  to 
immortal  happiness  and  glory,  in  his  everlasting  kingdom.  This, 
was  the  end  which  he  had  in  view,  in  all  his  humiliation.  This 
was  the  joy  which  was  set  before  him,  when  he  condescended  to 
be  born  at  Bethlehem,  when  he  suftcred  the  contradiction  of  sin- 
ners against  himself,  when  he  agonized  in  the  garden,  and  when 


220  SERMON  XVIir. 

he  endured  the  cross. — And  is  not  this,  my  brethren,  an  end 
worthy  of  the  Son  of  God  !  Does  it  not  reflect  a  glory  on  the 
whole  of  his  humiliation !  a  glory  infinitely  surpassing  every 
thing  human,  every  thing  angelick,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  be- 
gotten of  the  Father!  In  a  word,  is  not  the  divine  name  pro- 
claimed throughout  the  whole,  even  with  vastly  greater  distinct- 
ness, and  in  a  manner  vastly  more  impressive,  than  it  was  pro- 
claimed at  Horeb ; — and  is  not  the  glory  the  same — Jehovah, 
Jehovah  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abun- 
dant in  goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  for- 
giving iniquity,  and  transgression,  and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no 
means  clear  the  guilty ! 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  Let  us  admire  and  adore  the  unsearchable  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  God. 

The  Son,  who  was  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  appears  in 
the  form  of  a  servant,  and  in  the  likeness  of  men,  that  both  the 
Father  and  the  Son  may  receive  the  highest  honour,  and  glory, 
and  praise !  The  Divinity  is  vailed  in  human  flesh,  and  encom- 
passed with  circumstances  of  ignominy,  even  to  the  reproach  and 
derision  of  men,  that  the  divine  perfections  may  shine  forth  in 
all  their  benignant  majesty,  for  the  wonder  and  joy  of  the  uni- 
verse forever  !  The  Prince  of  hfe  and  of  glory  dies,  that  he  may 
raise  from  the  dead,  and  from  the  confines  of  hell,  millions  on 
millions  of  men,  to  live  with  him,  and  to  fill  his  celestial  king- 
dom with  immortal  thanksgivings  and  songs  of  praise !  O  the 
depths  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  the  goodness  of  God! 

2.  How  great  is  the  guilt  and  danger  of  those,  who  despise 
or  disregard  the  gospel ! 

In  the  sufferings  of  the  Redeemer,  the  holiness  of  God,  and 
his  infinite  abhorrence  of  sin,  are  set  in  the  strongest  light.  The 
whole  amazing  scene  proclaims,  that  merciful  and  gracious  as  he 
is,  he  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty.  If  he  spared  not  his 
own  Son,  when  standing  in  the  place  of  sinners,  how  can  it  be 
imagined  that  he  will  spare  sinners  themselves,  if,  in  contempt 
of  his  infinite  grace,  they  persist  in  their  rebellion  !  If  the  mani- 


SERMON  XVm.  221 

lestation  of  his  wrath  against  sin  caused  such  unuUerahle  agony 
as  tlie  Saviour  endured,  in  the  garden  and  on  the  cross,  who  can 
describe  or  conceive  the  distre&b  of  the  sinner,  who  must  feel  the 
displays  of  it  to  all  eternity! — O,  my  hearers,  those  of  you  who 
have  not  fled /or  refuge  to  the  hope  set  before  you,  let  me  entreat 
you  to  consider  what  you  are  doing,  while  you  refuse  the  grace 
of  the  Redeemer,  and  trifle  with  his  blood  !  You  are  refusing 
infinite  love ;  you  are  trifling  with  the  price  of  your  redemption. 
How  can  you  escape,  if  you  neglect  so  great  salvation!  He  who 
died  for  you  on  Calvary,  now  offers  you  pardon  and  immortal 
Ufe  from  the  throne  of  heaven.  But  the  scene  will  soon  be 
changed  ;  for  Lo  !  He  cometh  in  the  clouds,  and  every  eye  shall 
see  him.  He  comes  inflaming  fire,  to  take  vengeance  on  those 
that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not  the  gospel.  Then  shall  the)' 
call  on  the  mountains  and.  on  the  rocks  to  fall  on  them,  and  hide, 
them  from  the  face  of  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the 
wrath  of  the  Lamb.  Wrath  of  the  lamb  ? — Yes,  my  hearers, 
such  is  the  expression  !  and  I  beseech  you  to  consider  it  v.ith 
seriousness.  It  is  now  the  day  of  his  ^r«cc;  but  when  the  day 
of  his  wrath  shall  come,  ivho  shall  be  able  to  stand  ?  There  is 
every  encouragement  held  out  to  you  now  penitently  to  return 
to  God,  In  the  huniiliation  of  Christ,  a  glory  appears  as  of  the 
only  begotten  of  the  Father.  He  is  full  of  grace  and  truth,  he  is 
mighty  to  save  ;  and  he  endured  his  sufferings  for  this  very  pur- 
pose, that  he  might  save  all,  ivho  come  unto  God  by  him.  Kiss 
the  Son,  then,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  you  perish  from  the  tvay, 
when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little.  Blessed  are  all  they  who 
put  their  trust  in  him. 

3.  Believers  have  no  reason  to  be  ashamed  of  their  Saviour, 
or  of  his  cross. 

True,  he  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men.  He  appeared  in 
our  world  in  a  low  condition ;  he  was  loaded  with  reproach,  and 
treated  with  derision  ;  he  was  condemned  as  a  malefactor,  and^ 
executed  upon  the  cross.  This  shews  indeed,  in  a  strong  and 
most  affecting  light,  the  deplorable  state  of  fallen  men,  and  the 
madness  which  reigns  in  their  hearts  ;  but  it  does  infinite  honour 
to  him,  as  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,   and  shews  liis  glory 


222  SERMON  XVIII. 

10  be  as  mild  and  benignant,  as  it  is  majestick  and  resplendent. 
Though  he  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God  ;  yet  he 
made  himself  of  no  reputation  ;  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  our 
sakes  he  became  poor,  that  we  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich. 
Yes,  behevers,  the  Son  of  the  Highest  descended  thus  low,  that 
he  might  bring  mercy  and  salvation  even  to  you,  who  were  in 
the  depths  of  depravity  and  guilt,  and  raise  you  to  life  and  im- 
mortal glory.  Can  you  ever,  then,  be  ashamed  of  your  Saviour.'* 
Will  you  not  rather,  each  one  of  you,  say,  with  the  grateful  and 
ardent  Paul,  God  forbid,  that  I  shoidd  glory,  save  in  the  cross 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knoivledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord !  Let  the 
same  mind,  then,  be  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ.  Let  his 
love  constrain  you  devotedly  and  evermore  to  follow  him.  Let 
the  Avorld  know,  by  a  conversation  which  becometh  his  gospel, 
that  you  are  his  disciples,  and  that  all  your  hope  for  glory,  and 
honour,  and  immortality,  is  in  him. 


SERxMON  XIX. 


CHRIST  THE  LAMB  OF  GOD. 


►®« 


John  i.  29. 
Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  zvhich  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world. 

tl  OHN  the  Baptist  had  the  peculiar  honour  of  introducing  to 
his  nation  the  long  expected  Messiah.  He  was  sent  in  the  spirit 
and  power  of  Elijah,  to  turn  the  heart  of  the  fathers  to  the  chil- 
dren, and  the  heart  of  the  children  to  the  fathers  ;  to  cry  in  the 
wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  straight  in 
the  desart  a  highway  for  our  God;  and  to  sanctify  the  people 
for  the  reception  of  tlie  heavenly  visitant,  with  the  baptism  of 
repentance.  At  Jordan,  he  administered  upon  the  great  High 
Priest,  the  solemn  rite,  prescribed  in  the  levitical  law,  for  in- 
duction into  the  priestly  office ;  saw  tlie  Spirit,  as  a  dove,  de- 
scend and  rest  upon  him ;  and  heard  the  voice  from  heaven, 
This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased.  Some 
time  afterward,  the  great  Council  of  the  nation,  at  Jerusalem, 
sent  a  deputation  to  the  baptizer,  to  know  who  he  w^as,  and 
whether  he  professed  to  be  himself  the  Messiah.  John  promptly 
answered,  that  he  was  not  the  Messiah  ;  and  gave  them  distinct-  , 
ly  to  understand,  that  he  was  tlie  Messiah's  harbinger,  and  that 
the  Messiah  himself  was  even  then  come.  Tlie  next  day,  John 
saw  Jesus,  now  returned  from  his  temptation  in  the  wilderness. 
coming  towards  him:  and,  directing  the  attention  of  the  people 


ii24  SERMON   XIX. 

assembled  around  him,  to  the  wonderful  personage,  he  said  to 
them,  Behold  the  lamb  of  god,  which  taketh  away  thk 
rtiN  OF  THE  world.  T/iis  is  he  of  whom  I  said,  After  me  comeih 
a  man  icho  is  preferred  before  me  ;  for  he  ivas  before  me.  And  1 
knew  him  not ;  btit,  that  he  might  be  made  manifest  unto  Israel^ 
therefore  am  I  come  baptizing  with  ivateri  And  he  that  sent  me 
to  baptize,  the  same  said  unto  me,  Upon  whom  thou  shalt  see  the 
Spirit  descending  and  remaining,  the  same  is  he  that  baptizeth 
with  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  I  saw,  and  bare  record,  that  this  is 
the  Son  of  God. 

Behold  the  lamb  of  god,  which  taketh  away  the  sin 
OF  the  world.  Jesus  Christ  is  called  a  Lamb,  in  allusion  to 
the  lambs  anciently  offered  in  sacrifice.  He  is  called  the  Lamb 
of  God,  as  being  the  sacrifice  which  God  had  designated,  to  an- 
swer the  high  purposes  of  his  sovereign  wisdom.  And  he  is 
said  to  take  away  the  sin  of  the  ivorld,  because,  by  his  death,  he 
made  expiation  for  sin,  and  opened  the  way  for  the  pardon  and 
reconciliation  of  sinful  men,  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and 
people,  and  nation.  From  the  text,  then,  we  have  this  most 
important  doctrine  :  Jesus  Christ  was  divinely  appointed 
to  be  an  expiatory  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  mankind. 
This  doctrine  I  shall  attempt  to  prove  and  illustrate. 

An  expiatory  sacrifice  is  a  sacrifice  which  expiates,  or  an- 
swers as  an  expiation  for  sin.  Expiation  has  immediate  respect 
to  guilt.  Guilt  is  desert  of  punishment,  or  just  liability  to  be 
punished.  Expiation  is,  either  the  deserved  punishment  itself, 
or  something  which  answers  in  its  stead.  U  a  guilty  person 
suffers  the  punishment  which  he  deserves,  he  makes  expiation 
for  his  crime ;  or,  if  he,  or  any  otlier  person,  do  or  suffer  what 
answers  in  the  place  of  the  proper  punishment,  then,  also,  expia- 
tion for  his  crime  is  made. 

Expiation  is  of  the  same  meaning  with  atonement,  a  word 
very  frequently  used  in  the  scriptures.  Atone,  in  its  simple 
primary  sense,  signifies  at  one.  To  atone  is  to  bring  persons 
before  at  variance  to  be  at  one.  Atonement  is  that,  by  means  of 
which  parties  at  variance  are  brought  to  be  at  one,  or  reconcilia- 
tton  is  made.     The  original  Hebrew  word  rendered  aionr,   and 


SERMON   XIX.  225 

atonement,  principally  signifies  to  cover,  and  is  used  with  various 
applications.  It  is  used  in  reference  to  the  ark  built  by  Noah, 
which  was  smeared,  or  covered  with  pitch.  It  is  used,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  eyes  of  a  judge ;    as  when   Samuel  says,    Witness 

against  me  before  the  Lord,  and  before  his  anointed, of 

whose  hand  have  I  received  any  bribe,  to  blind,  or  cover,  mine 
eyes  therewith.  It  is  used  in  reference  to  covenants.  Your 
covenant  with  death  shall  be  disannulled ;  covered,  smeared,  or 
blotted  out.  In  all  these  instances,  the  same  original  word  is 
used,  which,  in  other  places,  is  rendered  atone,  or  atonement. 
Even  in  the  direct  sense  of  atonement,  the  word  is  differently 
applied ;  as,  particularly,  atonement  is  said  to  have  been  made 
for  the  tabernacle,  for  the  altar,  and  for  the  various  implements 
of  divine  service,  as  well  as  for  the  people,  and  for  the  sins  of 
the  people. 

In  all  the  different  applications  of  the  word,  however,  the 
radical  idea  of  covering  is  preserved  ;  and  this  general  meaning, 
modified  by  the  subjects  to  which  it  is  applied,  will  lead  us  to 
the  true  value  and  force  of  the  expression,  in  any  given  instance. 
The  tabernacle  and  altar,  with  their  various  utensils,  made  by 
the  polluted  hands  of  men,  were  naturally  unworthy  to  be  cm- 
ployed  in  the  holy  service  of  God;  but,  by  the  atonements  made 
for  them,  at  their  consecration,  their  unworthiness  was  so  cov- 
ered as  to  render  their  sacred  use  fit  and  acceptable.  In  a  sense, 
they  were  brought  to  be  at  one  widi  God.  Sinful  men  are,  nat- 
urally, in  a  state  unfit  for  the  divine  favour.  Their  guilt,  their 
desert  of  punishment,  renders  it  unsuitable  that  the  divine  favour 
should  be  extended  to  them.  But,  by  an  atonement,  their  sins 
are  so  covered  as  that  God,  consistently  with  his  infinite  holiness, 
may  be  propitious  to  them,  absolve  them,  and  restore  them  to 
his  favour,  as  at  one  with  him.  Hence,  the  frequent  use,  in  the 
scriptures,  of  the  word  cover,   in  relation  to  sin.     Blessed  is  he 

■whose sin  is  covered.     The  atonement  answers  in  the. 

place  of  the  deserved  punishment,  as  it  honours  the  law  and  the 
justice  of  God,  and  shows  his  infinitely  holy  character  in  a  true 
and  glorious  light.  It  so  covers,  or  cancels  the  guilt  of  sin,  as 
that  God  can  be  just,  and  yet  the  justifier  of  the  sinner.  In  this 
29 


226  SERMON   XIX. 

sense,  Christ  was  appointed  to  be  an  expiatory  sacrifice ;  in  this 
sense,  he  finished  transgression,  and  made  an  end  of  sin,  by  his 
death  on  the  cross  for  sinners ;  in  this  sense,  he  is  our  shield, 
our  covering,  our  protection  from  deserved  punishment ;  in  this 
sense,  he  is  the  Lamb  of  God ;  the  sacrifice  divinely  appointed, 
that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world  ;  so  covers  it,  so  cancels  its 
guilt,  as  to  remove  it  out  of  the  way  of  our  restoration  to  the 
favour  of  God. 

That  Jesus  Christ  was  divinely  appointed  to  be  an  expiatory 
sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  mankind,  may  appear  from  the  following 
considerations : 

I.  Mankind  needed  an  expiatory  sacrifice,  or  an  atonement 
for  sin. 

Our  first  parents  sinned,  and  all  their  posterity  are  sinners. 
They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way  ;  they  are  together  become  un- 
profitable ;  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no  not  one.  Sin  de- 
serves punishment ;  and  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one  that 
continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  booh  of  the  law  to  do 
them.  How,  then,  is  this  desert  of  punishment,  this  immense 
guilt,  incurred  by  mankind,  to  be  cancelled  f  How  is  the  curse 
of  the  law  to  be  removed .''  How  are  we  to  escape  the  just  judg- 
ment of  him,  to  whom  vengeance  belongs,  and  who,  as  the  su- 
preme Governour  and  Judge  of  the  universe,  must  maintain  the 
majesty  of  his  law,  and  honour  of  his  justice  ^  Will  the  Lord  be 
pleased  with  thousands  of  rams,  or  with  ten  thousands  of  rivers 
ofoil9  Shall  I  give  my  firstborn  for  my  transgression,  the  fruit 
of  my  body  for  the  sin  of  my  soul  9  These  inquiries  are  natural, 
and,  to  the  awakened  conscience,  unavoidable.  They  have 
arisen  in  the  minds  of  men  in  all  ages ;  they  have  led  to  endless 
forms  of  superstition  in  difi!erent  nations ;  they  have  filled  the 
pagan  world,  ancient  and  modern,  with  hideous  absurdities,  and 
bloody  abominations.  But,  in  vain  do  we  go  to  the  pagan  world, 
ancient  or  modern  ;  in  vain  do  we  seek  to  the  schools  of  philoso- 
phy ;  in  vain  do  we  consult  the  oracles  of  human  reason,  for  a 
satisfactory  answer. 

Will  it  be  supposed  that  present  obedience,  or  repentance, 
will  expiate,  or  cover,  the  guilt  of  past  transgression .''    Is  not 


SERMON  XIX.  227 

perfect  obedience,  at  all  times,  our  duty  ?  And,  will  the  doing  of 
our  duty  to-day  atone  for  the  transgression  of  yesterday  ?  If  we 
have  sinned,  it  is  indeed  our  duty  to  repent.  But  "can  vepent- 
ance  annihilate  what  is  past.''  Or  can  repentance,  superadded  to 
present  obedience,  constitute  a  surplusage  of  merit,  which  may 
be  transferred  to  the  reduction  of  our  former  demerit  .^"  Then, 
indeed,  the  Romish  doctrine  of  supererogation  is  no  chimera ; 
and  this  doctrine,  they  who,  in  denial  of  the  doctrine  of  atone- 
ment, assert  the  efficacy  of  present  obedience  and  repentance, 
must  in  effect  adopt.  They  must  suppose  that  we  may,  at  one 
time,  do  more  than  our  present  duty, — do  works  of  supereroga- 
tion,— and  thus  gain  a  surplusage  of  merit,  to  be  apphed,  as  oc- 
casion may  require,  for  the  cancelling  either  of  past  or  of  future 
guilt.  But  if  this  doctrine  is  inadmissible,  and  revolting  to  rea- 
son and  conscience,  then,  upon  no  sound  principle  whatever  can 
it  be  supposed  that  former  sins  may  be  forgiven,  on  account  of 
any  present  or  future  obedience,  or  repentance.  Were  the  sin- 
ner to  repent  to-day,  and  from  this  time  forth  to  live  in  perfect 
hohness,  yet,  in  all  this,  there  could  be  no  suq^lusage  of  merit 
for  cancelling  of  any  part  of  the  guilt  of  his  former  sins ;  and, 
were  there  no  atonement,  he  must  be  held  under  the  curse  of 
the  law,  without  hope  of  release. 

We  say,  then,  that  mankind  needed  an  expiatory  sacrifice, 
an  atonement  for  sin ;  and,  in  the  scheme  of  divine  grace,  de- 
signed expressly  to  answer  the  exigencies  of  our  guilty  condi- 
tion, an  atonement  should  certainly  be  expected. 

II.  The  first  intimations  of  grace  given  to  man  after  the  fall, 
had  evident  reference  to  an  atonement,  and  to  an  atonement  to 
be  made  by  Christ. 

The  gracious  assurance  was,  that  the  Seed  of  the  woman 
should  bruise  the  serpent's  head  ;  "should  abolish  the  guilt,  mis- 
chief, and  misery,"  which,  by  means  of  the  serpent's  malignant 
subtilty,  had  been  induced.  But,  in  effecting  this  purpose,  thq 
mysterious  Seed  of  the  woman  was  himself  to  suffer ;  his  heel 
was  to  be  bruised.  He  was  to  suffer  in  the  stead  of  sinful  man  ; 
and,  as  a  farther  intimation  of  this,  bloody  sacrifices,  of  typical 
import,  were  immediately   instituted.     Sacrifices  of  this  kind. 


228  SERMON  XIX. 

Abel  certainly  offered  ;  nor  should  it  be  doubted,  tliat  the  beasts', 
of  whose  skins  the  Lord  God  made  coats  for  the  clothing  of 
our  guilty  parents,  were  offered  in  sacrifice.  But,  had  not  God 
himself  instituted  these  sacrifices,  they  would  not  have  been  ac- 
ceptable to  him.  Nay,  had  he  not  given  intimation  of  an  ex- 
piatory sacrifice,  probably  the  thought  of  such  a  sacrifice  would 
never  have  occurred  to  the  mind  of  man. 

III.  Sacrifices  for  sin  made  a  very  principal  part  of  the 
Mosaick  economy. 

For  the  whole  people  of  Israel,  a  sacrifice  was  to  be  offered 
every  morning  and  every  evening,  throughout  their  generations ; 
and  in  the  seventh  month  of  each  year,  a  great  and  most  solemn 
atonement,  by  sacrifice,  was  to  be  made.  -  Besides  these,  of  a 
more  pubUck  nature,  numerous  sacrifices  were  prescribed  for  the 
particular  offences  of  individuals.  Some  of  these  sacrifices,  in- 
deed, were  for  ceremonial  defilements,  and  intended  so  to  cover 
those,  who  were  ceremonially  unclean,  as  to  give  them  a  fitness 
for  a  visible  approach  to  God,  in  the  ordinances  of  his  worship ; 
in  like  manner  as  the  tabernacle  and  altar,  with  their  utensils, 
were  consecrated  for  sacred  use.  But  even  this  strongly  repre- 
sented the  necessity  of  inward  cleansing.  For,  if  merely  cere- 
monial defilement  must  be  expiated  by  sacrifice,  how  much  more 
moral  guilt.  Accordingly,  the  principal  sacrifices  of  the  Mosaick 
economy  had  reference  to  moral  guilt  directly,  and  were  most 
clearly  of  expiatory  import.  Said  the  divine  Institutor,  The  lift 
of  the  flesh  is  in  the  blood  ;  and  I  have  given  it  to  you  upon  the 
altar,  to  make  an  atonement  for  your  souls;  for  it  is  the  blood  that 
maketh  an  atonement  for  the  soul.  Accordingly,  when  an  in- 
dividual brought  his  sacrifice  to  the  altar  of  Jehovah,  he  laid  his 
hands  upon  the  head  of  the  victim,  confessing  his  sin,  and  dep- 
recating the  deserved  punishment.  And  in  the  great  sacrifices 
for  the  sins  of  the  whole  people,  the  priest  laid  his  hands  upon 
the  head  of  the  victim,  and  confessed  all  the  iniquities  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  and  all  their  transgressions  in  all  their  sins, 
symbolically  putting  them  upon  the  victim. 

But  those  sacrifices,  though  of  expiatory  import,  were  not, 
in  themselves,  of  expiatory  efficacy  ;  for  it  was  not  possible  that 


SERMON   XIX.  229 

the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats  shoidd  take  away  sin.  The 
Mosaick  rites  were  shadows  of  good  things  to  come.  The  sac- 
rifices, particularly,  were  t3'pical  of  the  one  great  sacrifice  to  be 
made  in  the  end  of  the  Mosaick  dispensation ;  and  they  were 
all  fulfilled  in  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  when,  through  the  eter- 
nal Sjnrit,  he  offered  himself  ivithout  sj)ot  to  God.  This  offering 
of  himself,  then,  must  have  been  an  expiatory  sacrifice ;  for, 
had  it  not  been  such,  it  could  not  have  answered  to  the  express 
import  of  the  types,  by  which  it  w^as  prefigured.  If  the  types 
were  oi  expiatory  import,  the  antitype  must  have  been  of  expia- 
tory effect.  Accordingly,  W'hen  the  harbinger  John  saw  Jesus, 
he  pointed  to  him  and  said,  as  in  the  text.  Behold  the  lamb  of 
God,  ivhich  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  Behold  the  anti- 
type of  all  tliose  sacrifices  for  sin,  which,  for  ages,  have  been 
offered  ;  the  great  sacrifice,  to  which  they  all  had  typical  refer- 
ence ;  tlie  lamb  appointed  by  God  to  make  an  atonement,  not 
merely  figurative,  but  real,  and  for  all  men. 

IV.  The  language  of  scripture  upon  this  su1)ject  is  explicit 
and  decisive. 

What  language  could  be  more  explicit,  more  decisive,  than 
that  of  Isaiah  .''  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions  ;  he  loas 
bruised  for  our  iniquities;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  ivas 
upon  him ;  and  with  his  stripes  we  are  herded.  All  we  like 
sheep  have  gone  astray  ;    we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own 

way  ;  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all 

It  pleased,  the  JLord  to  bruise  him  ;  to  put  him  to  grief;  to  7nake 

his  soul  an  offering  for  sin By  his  knowledge  shall  my 

righteous  servant  justify  many  ;  for  he  shall  bear  their  iniquities. 
Daniel,  also,  expressly  foretold  that  the  Messiah  should  be  cut 
off,  not  for  himself;  but  to  finish  transgression  ;  to  make  an  end 
of  sin  ;  to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity  ;  and  to  bring  in  ever- 
lasting righteousness.  Jesus  himself  says.  The  Son  of  man  came 
not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minister ;  and  to  give  his  life  a 
ransom  for  many. — The  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which 
I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  ivorld. — This  is  my  body,  xvhich  in 
given  for  you. —  This  is  my  blood  of  the  JVew  Testament,  ivhich 
is  shed  for  many,  for  the  remission  of  sins.     The  language  of 


'230  SERMON  XIX. 

Paul  is,  Christ  died  for  our  sins. — He  was  made  sin,  or  a  sin 
offering, /or  us.  He  was  made  a  curse  for  us. — He  gave  himself 
for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity. —  fie  have  re- 
demption through  his  blood. — He  was  delivered  for  our  offences j 
and  raised  again  for  our  justification. — He  appeared  to  put  away 
sin  hj  the  sacrifice  of  himself. —  When  we  were  enemies,  we  were 
reconciled  to  God  by  his  death. — He  made  peace  through  the 
blood  of  his  cross.  And  says  Joiin,  He  is  the  propitiation — the 
atonement,  the   expiatory  sacrifice — He  is  the  propitiation  for 

our  sins  ;  and for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.     If,  my 

brethren,  these,  and  many  other  passages  similar  to  these,  do  not 
plainly  declare,  that  Christ  was  divinely  appointed  to  be  an  ex- 
piatory sacrifice  for  sin,  in  what  terms  could  this  doctrine  be 
plainly  declared  ?  If,  indeed,  our  doctrine  is  not  true,  what  can 
be  the  meaning  of  the  language  of  our  textr  Why  should  Christ 
be  called  a  lamb  ?  Or  how  should  a  lamb  take  away  sin,  other- 
wise than  by  dying  as  a  sacrifice  ?  And  if  he  did  not  die  as  a 
sacrifice,  why  was  he  bruised  by  Jehovah  ?  Why  was  his  soul 
made  so  exceeding  sorrowful  9  What  could  be  the  meaning  of 
his  strong  crying  and  tears  ? 

The  principal  objections  to  the  doctrine  under  consideration 
may  be  resolved  into  two ;  viz.  That  this  doctrine  represents 
God  as  implacable,  or  unmercifully  rigorous  in  his  requirements; 
and,  that  an  expiatory  sacrifice  could  not  have  been  necessary. 

'Is  God,'  it  has  been  often  asked,  'Is  God  such  a  being,  so 
inexorable,  so  destitute  of  mercy,  as  not  to  be  disposed  to  for- 
give his  offending  creatures  ?  Before  he  will  forgive,  or  be  will- 
ing to  forgive,  will  he  rigorously  exact  such  a  sacrifice  as  the 
blood  of  his  own  Son  ?' 

This  objection  evidently  rests  upon  a  mistaken  apprehension 
of  the  atonement.  As  has  been  observed,  atonement  has  imme- 
diate reference  to  guilt,  to  desert  of  punishment;  and,  in  an  im- 
portant respect,  it  takes  the  place,  and  answers  the  purpose  of 
punishment.  But,  respecting  punishment,  under  the  govern- 
inent  of  God,  very  erroneous  notions  are  entertained.  Many 
^eem  to  imagine  that  in  punishing  offenders,  God  acts,  not  as  the 
lienevolent  ptirent  of  the  universe,  but  as  a  stern  and  cruel  despot. 


SERMON   XIX.  £81 

This  is  a  most  groundless  and  perverse  apprehension.  Jehovah 
has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him  that  dieth  ;  no  dehght  in  the 
misery  of  those  who  suffer  under  his  hand.  He  always  acts  as 
the  benevolent  Sovereign  and  Guardian  of  the  universe  )  and  he 
punishes  offenders  only  witli  a  view  to  the  highest  good  of  his 
great  kingdom.  As  he  does  not  punish,  so  neither  does  he  ex- 
act atonement,  from  an  unmerciful  or  implacable  spirit.  Atone- 
ment, hke  punishment,  is  designed  by  infinite  goodness  for  the 
security  and  advancement  of  the  highest  interests  of  the  universe; 
and,  instead  of  showing  the  character  of  God  in  an  unworthy, 
or  unamiable  Hght,  shows  it  in  a  hght  supremely  excellent  and 
glorious.  He  was,  indeed,  disposed  to  pass  acts  of  pardon  ;  but 
he  would  do  it  only  in  a  way,  consistent  with  the  holiness  of  his 
nature,  the  dignity  of  his  law  and  government,  and  the  welfare 
of  his  great  empire.  That  he  might  thus  pardon,  atonement  was 
necessary ;  and,  in  giving  his  Son  to  make  the  atonement,  and 
to  open  such  a  way  of  pardon,  by  dying,  the  just  for  the  unjust^ 
instead  of  manifesting  an  inexorable  or  implacable  disposition, 
he  gave  the  most  glorious  demonstration  of  his  infinite  clemency 
and  grace.  God  so  loved  the  loorld,  that  he  gave  his  only  be- 
gotten Son,  that  ivhosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life. — Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God, 
but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for 
our  sins.  Such  is  the  strain  of  exalted  gratitude  and  praise,  in 
which  the  inspired  writers  celebrate  the  atonement. 

Still  it  is  asked,  'What  need  could  there  be  of  an  atonement? 
If  God  is  a  being  of  inimitable  goodness  and  mercy,  if  he  was 
disposed  to  forgive  sin,  why  not  forgive  without  requiring  any 
sacrifice  ?  Are  we  to  believe  that  he  could  not  support  his  own 
holy  character,  maintain  the  dignity  of  his  government,  or  secure 
the  welfare  of  his  kingdom,  without  such  an  expedient .'" 

We  might  ask,  in  our  turn.  Why  are  the  various  labours  of 
men  required  for  their  daily  sustenance  and  comfort.''  W'h\^ 
should  food  be  used  for  the  support  of  life .''  Why  is  study  made 
necessary  to  knowledge  ?  Why  are  various  institutions  appointed 
for  virtue  and  holiness  ?  Why  is  the  system  of  things  such  as  to 
tequire  so  much  care,  exertion,  and  pains,  for  the  attainment  of 


2$2  SERMON  XIX. 

happiness  ?  Could  not  God  have  provided  food  for  men,  without 
their  labour?  Could  he  not  have  supported  life,  without  the  use 
of  food  ?  Could  he  not  have  imparted  knowledge  to  men,  with- 
out their  study  ?  Could  he  not  have  made  them  perfectly  holy, 
without  the  intervention  of  means  ;  and  perfectly  happy,  without 
any  care,  or  exertion,  or  pains  of  theirs  t  Let  the  wisdom  of 
this  world,  which  would  prescribe  to  the  Most  High,  first  set 
him  right  in  regard  to  the  arrangements  of  his  common  provi- 
dence, before  it  assume  the  higher  office  to  dictate  to  him  the 
proper  methods  of  his  adorable  grace. 

The  truth  is,  it  has  seemed  good  to  divine  wisdom  to  give 
existence  to  a  moral  system,  and  to  govern  the  moral  system  in  a 
moral  way.  Hence  that  complicated  complexure,  that  wonder- 
ful arrangement  of  things,  which  calls  into  action  all  the  powers 
of  moral  beings;  which  gives  opportunity,  under  an  endless  va- 
riety of  circumstances,  for  the  exhibition  of  moral  action,  and 
the  developement  of  moral  character ;  and  which  lays  a  founda- 
tion for  high  and  awful  moral  destinies  for  eternity.  Into  this 
system,  the  supreme  Author  has  seen  fit  to  introduce  moral  law, 
sanctioned  with  eternal  rewards  and  punishments ;  and  in  the 
same  great  design,  he  has  provided  that  if  deserved  punishment 
be  remitted,  it  shall  be  only  on  account  of  a  suitable  atonement. 
Who,  then,  shall  undertake  to  say,  that  the  atonement  was  super- 
fluous, or  unnecessary  ?  If  the  atonement  is  calculated  to  illus- 
trate the  perfections  of  God ;  to  magnify  the  law  and  make  it 
honourable  ;  to  give  to  the  universe  a  just  and  striking  exhibition 
of  the  evil  of  sin ;  forcibly  to  arrest  the  attention  of  fallen  men, 
show  them  their  lost  condition,  impress  them  with  a  deep  sense 
of  their  guilt  and  of  the  mercy  of  God,  and  call  them  back  to 
him,  as  the  Rock  of  their  salvation,  and  Fountain  of  all  good  ; 
if  the  expiatory  sacrifice  of  Christ  is  calculated  for  all  this,  shall 
it  be  pronounced  or  regarded  as  needless  or  useless  ?  Ought  it 
not,  on  the  contrary,  to  be  admired,  as  the  most  wonderful  ex- 
pedient of  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness  ?  Ought  it  not  to  be 
celebrated  by  all  men  on  earth,  as  it  certainly  will  be  eternally, 
by  all  the  saints  and  angels  in  heave;),  with  the  highest  thanks- 
givings and  praise?  r 


SERMON   XIX.  235 

This  doctrine  runs  through  the  whole  Bible,  and  is  the  vital 
principle  of  the  whole  system  of  revealed  truth.  Set  this  doc- 
trine aside,  and  you  destroy  the  very  texture  of  the  scriptures, 
reduce  Christianity  to  mere  natural  religion,  and  send  us,  for  in- 
struction, to  the  schools  of  human  wisdom.  Set  this  doctrine 
aside,  and  you  remove  the  corner  stone  of  the  gospel ;  demolish 
the  hopes  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ ;  and  incur  the  appalling 
necessity  of  going  to  the  bar  of  your  final  Judge,  with  all  your 
guilt  upon  you,  and  abiding,  without  the  benefit  of  sacrifice,  the 
tremendous  sentence  of  eternal  justice. 

A  doctrine  of  such  immense  importance,  must,  of  necessity, 
be  of  great  practical  use  ;  and  to  some  of  the  purposes,  for  which 
it  should  be  improved,  I  would,  in  conclusion,  briefly  invite  your 
attention. 

It  must  be  of  great  use,  to  assure  us  of  the  mercy  of  God, 
and  of  the  certainty  of  pardon,  if  we  penitently  return  to  him. 
My  hearers.  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  takcth  away  the  sin 
of  the  world;  view  the  Son  of  the  Highest  dying  upon  the  cross, 
as  an  expiatory  sacrifice  for  sin  ;  and  be  assured,  that  there  is 
forgiveness  with  God,  and  plenteous  redemption.  That  sacrifice 
is  perfect ;  that  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin  ;  that  manifestation 
of  divine  love  and  mercy  is  the  highest  possible  proof,  that  all 
who  come  unto  God  by  Christ,  will  be  graciously  accepted. 
Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  though  they  be  red  like  crimson, 
yet,  washed  in  that  fountain,  they  shall  he  ivhite  as  snoio. 

This  doctrine  is   a  powerful  motive  to  repentance. — It  gives 

assurance   of  pardon  to  the  penitent.     But  this  is  not  all.     It 

shows  the  love  and  mercy  of  God  in  the  most  affecting  light,  in 

a  light  which  should  dissolve   every  heart.     Tell  the  sinner  of 

the   deformities  and   evils  of  vice ;    display  before  him  all  the 

beauties  and  advantages  of  virtue  ;  inculcate  upon  him  the  finest 

lessons  of  morality,  with  the  utmost  powers  of  eloquence  ; — it  is 

all  in  vain.     But  point  him  to  the  cross  of  Calvary  ;  engage  Ijis 

attention  to  that  scene,   at  which  all  nature   shook  with  horrour; 

show  him  the  Son  of  God  dying  for  sin, — and,  if  his  heart  be  not 

harder  than  the  adamant,  he  cannot  but  be  moved.     While  that 

amazing  spectacle  assures  him  o^  the  niercv  of  God.   and,  with 
30 


234  SE.KMON   XIX. 

matchless  pathos,  invites  him  to  salvation,  it  declares  to  him, 
also,  his  ruined  s^ate.  and  warns  him,  with  awful  solemnity,  of 
the  certain  and  woful  doom  which  awaits  him,  if  he  do  not  re- 
pent. 

This  doctrine  is,  also,  a  powerful  motive  to  prayer.  Sinful 
men  need  the  grace  of  God,  and,  without  it,  must  perish.  But, 
wherewith  shall  they  come  before  him .''  How  shall  they  find  ac- 
cess to  his  seat ': — Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  9  Behold  the  new 
and  hving  way  unto  the  Father,  marked  with  the  blood  of  that 
atoning  sacrifice.  That  blood  pleads  for  us,  with  irresisiible 
eloquence.     Having,   therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into 

the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus, and  having  an  high 

priest  over  the  house  of  God,  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart, 
in  full  assurance  of  faith.  He  is  ascended  to  heaven  before  us; 
he  is  entered  within  the  vail,  in  virtue  of  his  sacrifice ;  he  has 
bespoken  acceptance  for  our  persons  before  the  eternal  throne, 
and  a  favourable  audience  for  all  our  prayers.  We  have  only  to 
ask  in  his  name,  and  every  blessing  is  ready  for  us. 

This  doctrine  should  be  used  as  an  everlasting  spring  of  holy 
love  and  gratitude  to  God  the  Father,  and  to  Jesus  Christ  the 
Son. — The  love,  both  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son,  manifested 
in  the  atonement,  is  of  height  and  depth,  and  length  and  breadth, 
surpassing,  immeasurably,  our  utmost  conceptions.  And  shall  it 
have  no  return?  Of  what  must  our  hearts  be  made,  if,  in  view 
of  this  love,  they  do  not  ascend  in  a  holy  flame  to  the  highest 
heavens.''  "My  love  is  crucified,"  was  the  saying  of  a  primitive 
martyr  ;  and,  if  we  would  have  our  breasts  glow  with  the  purest 
and  most  elevated  love  and  gratitude,  we  must  keep  our  eyes 
intensely  upon  the  cross. 

This  doctrine  should  also  constrain  us  to  love  one  another. — 
Beloved,  says  the  disciple  who  leaned  on  Jesus'  bosom.  Beloved, 
if  God  so  loved  us,  we  alight  also  to  love  one  another.  Be  ye 
kind  one  to  another,  says  the  apostle  of  the  gentiles,  tender 
hearted,  forgiving  one  another,  even  as  God,  for  Christ's  sake, 
hath  forgiven  you.  Could  appeal  be  more  touching.''  Could 
argument  be  more  persuasive  ?  Could  motive  be  more  irre- 
sistible ? 


SERMON   XIX.  23r, 

This  doctrine,  in  a  word,  the  doctrine  of  atonement  by  the 
death  of  Christ,  is  of  infinitely  greater  efiicacy,  in  i'egard  to  all 
the  duties  which  we  owe  to  God,  to  ourselves,  and  to  others, 
than  all  the  vaunted  lessons  of  pagan  or  christian  moralists. 
This  is  tlie  doctrine,  which  the  Holy  Spirit  makes  the  grand 
means  of  the  renovation  of  mankind  to  glory  and  virtue.  This 
is  the  doctrine,  which  is  ^Ae  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  to 
every  one  that  beUeveth.  This  is  the  doctrine,  besides  which  the 
gie.it  afostle  of  the  gentiles,  probably  the  most  successful 
preacher  who  ever  appeared  in  the  world,  determined  to  know 
nothing.  Faith  in  this  doctrine  is  the  root,  the  vital  principle  of 
all  the  christian  virtues ;  and  only  by  faith  in  this  doctrine  shall 
we  be  prepared  to  meet  the  king  of  terrors,  and  join  in  the  tri- 
umphant shout,  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  O  grave,  where  is 
thy  victory  9 

Behold,  then,  my  hearers.  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  Behold  him,  careless,  thought- 
less sinners.  View  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father  upon  the 
cross  ;  observe  his  blood  ;  listen  to  his  groans ;  consider  his  ago- 
nies; and  remember  that  he  freely  gave  himself  thus  to  die  for 
your  sins.  Does  it,  then,  become  you  to  be  careless  and  thought- 
less f  Will  you  sport  yourselves  in  your  sins,  and  trample  under 
foot  the  Son  of  God  i  How  then  can  your  hands  be  strong,  or  your 
hearts  endure,  when  you  shall  stand  before  his  judgment  seat .'' 

Behold  him,  ye  who  trust  in  yourselves  that  ye  are  righteous. 
Why  should  that  Lamb  of  God  have  come  down  from  heaven, 
to  expiate  our  guilt,  if,  by  any  virtue  of  ours,  we  could  obtain 
acceptance  with  God  .''  Will  you,  in  sight  of  the  cross,  go  about 
to  establish  your  own  righteousness,  and  attempt  to  prove  that 
Christ  is  dead  in  vain  ?  The  attempt  is  desperate  ;  the  guilt  of 
it  is  infinite.  It  is  an  attempt  to  frustrate  the  grace  of  God,  to 
strip  the  exalted  Redeemer  of  his  glory,  and  to  silence  tlic  im- 
mortal song  of  all  the  multitude  of  the  redeemed,  who,  w  ith  one 
voice,  ascribe  their  salvation  to  his  blood.  Never,  be  assured, 
never  can  we  bear  a  part  in  that  song,  unless  we  cetise  from  our- 
selves, bow  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  trust,  for  pardon  and  for 
life,  in  the  sacrificed  Lamb  of  God. 


236  SERMON  XIX, 

Behold  him,  ye  whose  hearts  are  touched  with  asertse  of  sin. 
Behold  the  atoning  Lainb,  the  expiatory  sacrifice  ;  believe  that 
he  died  for  you,  and  that  there  is  full  redemption  through  his 
blood.  His  voice  to  you  is,  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved. 
Obey  this  call,  and  you  shall  know  how  blessed  is  the  man  ivhosc 
iniquities  are  forgiven,  whose  sins  are  covered,  and  unto  whom 
the  Lord  ivill  not  impute  sin. 

Behold  him,  ye  who  have  fled  for  refuge,  to  this  hope  which 
is  set  before  you.  Well  may  you  glory  in  your  Saviour's  cross. 
Well  may  you  rejoice  in  his  sacrifice.  For,  through  this  sacri- 
fice, your  sins  are  forgiven,  your  peace  is  made  with  God,  and 
you  are  begotten  again  to  a  lively  hope,  ivhich  shall  not  make 
ashamed.  But  remember  that  he  redeems,  not  only  from  the 
guilt  of  sin,  but  also  from  its  power ;  that  he  redeems  from  vain 
conversation,  from  all  iniquity,  that  he  may  purify  unto  himself  a 
peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works.  He  has  called  you  to 
glory  and  virtue,  that  you  may  glorify  his  name  on  earth,  and 
reign  with  him  in  heaven.  See,  then,  that  ye  walk  worthy  of 
your  high  vocation.  Be  not  conformed  to  this  ivorld;  but  be  ye 
transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  minds.  Holdfast  the  pro- 
fession of  your  faith,  without  wavering.  And  may  the  God  of 
peace,  who  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that 
great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting 
covenant,  make  you  all  perfect  in  every  good  work  to  do  his  will, 
working  in  you  that  ivhich  is  well  pleasing  in  his  sight,  through 
Jesus  Christ ;  to  tvhom  be  glory  forever  and  ever. — Amen, 


SERMON   XX. 

BELIEVERS  BOUGHT  WITH  A  PBICEv 

1  Corinthians  vii.  23, 
Ye  are  bought  with  a  py-ice. 

A.  MORE  affecting  or  momentous  truth  than  this  the  Christian 
never  hears.  It  is  the  spring  of  his  deepest  sorrows,  and  of  his 
highest  joys : — Sorrows  for  liis  former  wretchedness  and  guih, 
upon  which  it  constrains  him  to  look  back  with  the  most  hu- 
mihating  reflections ;  and  joys  for  the  future  hoHness  and  gloiy, 
to  which  it  induces  him  to  look  forward,  with  the  most  elevating 
anticipations. 

In  the  preceding  context,  the  apostle  gives  directions  and  in- 
structions for  the  maintenance  of  purity  and  fidelity,  content- 
ment and  christian  liberty,  in  the  various  relations  and  conditions 
of  life.  A  powerful  argument  for  the  whole  is  conveyed  in  the 
words  of  the  text:  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price.  This, 
which  is  affirmed,  by  the  authority  of  inspiration,  concerning  the 
primitive  christians  of  Corinth,  is  equally  true  of  christians  of 
every  age  and  place  ;  they  have  all  been  bought  with  a  price. — 
But,  by  whom  have  they  been  bought  ? — of  whom,  or  from 
what  .'* — and  with  what  price  .'' — To  these  interesting  inquiries, 
I  ask,  my  brethren,  your  very  serious  attention. 

I.  By  whom  have  christians  been  bought .'' 

In  the  last  verse  of  the  preceding  chapter,  we  find  the  same 
language  as  in  our  text;  and  in  such  a  connection  as  will  supply 


2J8  SERMON  XX. 

an  answer  to  the  present  inquiry.  What  1  knoiv  ye  not,  sayj, 
the  apostle,  that  ye  are  not  your  own  ?  for  ye  are  bought  with  a 
price :  therefore,  glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your  sjjirit, 
ivhich  are  God's.  Here  christians  are  told  that  they  aie  not 
their  own,  but  God's ;  because  they  have  been  bought  with  a 
price.  The  plain  import  is,  that  they  belong  to  him  who  hath 
bought  them  ;  and  that  he  who  Ijath  bought  them  is  God.  Ac- 
cordingly, at  the  circumcision  of  John,  the  harbinger  of  Jesus, 
his  father  Zacharius  was  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  prophe- 
sie^saying.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel ;  for  he  hath 
visited,  and  redeemed  his  people.  Here  God  is  said  to  have 
redeemed  his  people  ;  and  the  original  word  signifies,  that  he 
has  redeemed  tiiem  with  a  ransom  ;  in  other  words,  that  he  has 
bouglit  them  with  a  price.  So  also  Paul,  in  his  memorable  ad- 
dress to  the  elders  of  Ephesus,  (Acts  xx.  28.)  charges  them  to 
feed  the  church  of  god,  which  he  uath  purchased.  And  in 
many  places  of  holy  scripture,  we  are  very  plainly  taught,  that 
God  is  the  Redeemer  of  his  people  ;  that  he  has  given  a  ransom 
for  them ;  that  he  has  bought  them  ;  and  that  they  are  his  by 
right  of  purchase. 

At  the  same  time  we  are  taught,  even  more  plainly  and  fully, 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Redeemer ; — has  paid  a  ransom  for 
them  ; — has  bought  them  with  a  price; — and  holds  them  as  his 
own  purchased  inheritance.  Christ,  says  the  apostle  to  the 
Galatians,  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  ;  or,  as  literally  rendered  by 
Dr.  Macknight,  hath  bought  us  off.  So  John  in  vision  heard  the 
heavenly  song  to  the  Lamb :  Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book, 
and  to  open  the  seals  thereof;  for  thou  hast  redeemed  us  to  God ; 
or,  as  very  properly  rendered  in  what  is  called  the  Improved 
Version,  hast  bought  us  to  God.  And  no  reader  of  the  scrip- 
lures  need  to  be  informed,  that  with  language  to  this  eftect,  the 
holy  writings  abound. 

You  are,  then,  taught,  chrisdans,  that  Christ  has  bought  you, 
and  that  God  has  bought  you ;  and  that  by  right  of  purchase 
you  are  Christ's,  and  you  are  God's.  Do  you  thence  conclude 
that  Christ  is  God,  or  that  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  in  essence 
one  ^  Be  it  so.     That,  however,  is  not  my  present  point.     The 


SERMON   XX.  -131) 

point  on  vvbich  I  wish  your  attention  now  to  be  iixed  is  this; 
that,  in  the  great  concern  of  redeeming  or  purchasing  you,  the 
Father  and  Son  acted  conjointly.  This  very  clearly  appears 
from  what  has  already  been  stated ;  and  it  is  only  upon  diis 
principle  that  we  can  see  the  consistency  of  the  scriptural  rep- 
resentations, that  you  have  been  redeemed,  or  bought,  both  by 
the  Father  and  the  Son.  The  scriptures,  moreover,  are  very 
express  upon  this  point. 

Jesus,  in  the  3d  of  St.  John's  gospel,  says,  God  so  loved  the 
loorld,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  For 
God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  loorld  to  condemn  the  world  ;  but 
that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved. —  When  the  fulness  of 
the  time  was  come,  says  St,  Paul  to  the  Galatians,  God  sent  forth 

his    Son to    redeem   them    that    were    under   the   law. 

Herein  is  love,  sa}'s  tiie  apostle  John,  not  that  we  loved  God, 
but  that  he  loved  us,  and  gave  his  son  to  be  the  propitiation  for 
our  sins.  And  of  Jesus  Christ  it  is  said,  that  he  gave  himself 
for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us.  The  New  Testament,  indeed, 
is  replete  with  die  sentiment,  that  the  Father  loved  us,  and  gave 
and  sent  the  Son  ;  and  that  the  Son  also  loved  us,  and  gave  him- 
self, and  came  down  from  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  to  redeem 
us.  The  counsel  of  peace  was  betwixt  them  both.  They  were 
perfectly  one  in  the  design ;  perfectly  one  in  the  purchase. 
Christians  have  been  bought  jointly,  by  the  Father,  and  the  Son. 
But, 

II.  Of  whom,  or  from  what,  have  christians  been  bought.'' 
A  notion  seems  to  have  prevailed  among  christians,  that  they 
were  bought  by  the  Son,  of  the  Father ;  that  as  creatures,  sinful 
creatures,  they  were  held  by  die  Father,  for  destruction ;  but 
tlie  Son  compassionately  interested  himself  in  their  behalf,  and 
bought  them — redeemed  Uiem  out  of  the  Father's  hands.  To 
such  a  notion,  the  scriptures  afford  not  the  least  shadow  of  coun- 
tenance. They  represent,  throughout,  that  the  Father  was  as 
much  engaged  for  our  redemption  as  the  Son;  and  that  we  have 
been  bought,  not  of  or  from  God,  but  to  or  for  God. 


240  SERMON   XX. 

The  question  then  returns.  Of  whom  were  we  bought.'*  The 
anower  to  this  question  must  be,  Not  ol"  any  being  in  the  uni- 
verse, personally  considered.  Why  then  say  that  we  have  been 
bought, — bought  with  a  price, — if  no  one  has  sold  us,  or  receiv- 
ed the  price  of  our  purchase  ?  Because,  though  we  have  not 
been  bought  of  any  being,  personally  considered,  yet  we  have 
been  bought  off  from  publick  justice.  To  this  point,  the  scrip- 
ture is  direct  and  explicit.  Christ  hath  redeemed  us,  says  the 
apostle  ;  or,  as  more  literally  rendered,  Christ  hath  bought  us 
off,  FROM  THE  CURSE  OF  THE  LAW.  The  cursc  of  the  law  is 
the  penalty  of  the  law,  the  punishment,  which  the  law  denounces, 
and  which  publick  justice  demands. 

Tills  is  the  plain  doctrine  of  scripture.  ^U  mankind  have 
sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God  ;  have  transgressed 
the  law,  and  incurred  its  penalty.  The  Jaw  is  fioli/,  and  the 
commandment  is  holy,  and  just,  and  good  ;  and  justice,  eternal 
justice  required,  that  its  penalty  should  be  executed.  Here, 
with  reverence  be  it  spoken,  God  himself  was  bound.  As  the 
Governour  and  Guardian  of  the  universe,  he  must  either  execute 
the  penalty,  or  else  find  out  and  set  forth  a  ransom.  In  his 
sovereign  goodness,  he  has  done  the  latter.  He  has  found  a 
ransom  ;  has  set  forth  a  propitiation  ;  has  bought  us  oft' from  die 
penalty  of  the  law,  from  the  punishment  which  justice  required. 
Had  not  this  been  done,  our  case  would  have  been  hopeless. 

To  all  this  effect  the  apostle,  in  the  3d  of  Romans,  is  clear 
and  full.  After  having  proved  both  Jeivs  and  Gentiles  to  be  all 
under  sin,  that  every  mouth  might  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world 
become  guilty  before  God ;  and  shewn  decisively  that  by  the 
deeds  of  the  law  no  flesh  could  be  justified ; — he  proceeds  to  say, 

But  noiv  the  righteousness  of  God is  manifested  ; 

even  the  righteousness  of  God,  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  unto  all 

and  upon  all  them  that  believe ; being  justified  freely  by 

his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  ie  in  Jesus  Christ ;  whom 
God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  through  faith  in  his  blood, 
to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are 

past  ;  ......  TO  DECLARE  AT  THIS   TIME   HIS  RIGHTEOUSNESS  J 

THAT  HE  MIGHT  BE  .lUST  AND  THE  JUSTIFIER  OF  HIM  THAT  BF.- 


SERMON  XX.  241 

LiBVETH  IN  JESUS.  The  main  doctrine,  here  so  solemnly 
enunciated,  is,  that  God  has  set  forth  a  propitiation, — has  ex- 
hibited a  ransom,  for  sinful  men,  for  the  express  purpose,  that 
he  might,  without  violating  justice,  exempt  them  from  the  penal- 
ty of  the  law. 

This  is  the  first,  and  a  very  principal  thing  in  the  great  con- 
eern  of  our  redemption.  But  this  is  not  all.  Not  only  were  we 
held  by  justice,  under  the  penalty  of  the  law ;  but  we  were  also 
under  the  power  of  sin,  and  in  bondage  to  Satan.  Yes,  while 
alienated  from  God,  and  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  we  were 
the  servants  of  sin,  and  the  vassals  of  Satan.  It  was  the  purpose 
of  sovereign  goodness  to  deliver  us  from  all  this  condemnation, — 
this  guilty  vassalage  and  wretchedness.  Not  only  to  buy  us  off 
from  punitive  justice ;  but  to  redeem  us  also  from  the  dominion 
of  sin,  and  all  the  power  of  the  enemy.  Accordingly  we  read, 
that  Christ  was  sent  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the 
opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound  ;  that  he  was  mani- 
fested to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil ;  that  he  gave  himself  for 
us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto 
himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works. 

Christians,  then,  have  been  bought  off  from  the  punitive  de- 
mands of  eternal  justice, — the  curse  of  the  law ;  from  the  do- 
minion of  sin ;  and  from  the  bondage  of  Satan. — But, 

III.  With  what  price  were  they  bought .'' 

The  apostle  Peter,  in  the  first  chapter  of  his  first  epistle, 
gives  a  direct  and  precise  answer  to  the  question.  Ye  were  not 
redeemed,  says  he,   with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and  gold  ; 

but  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ.     Jesus  himself 

testified,  that  he  came  to  give  his  life,  which  is  the  same  as  his 
blood,  a  ransom  for  many.  The  apostle  Paul  testifies,  that  God 
has  purchased  the  church  with  his  own  blood.  And  St.  John, 
in  vision,  saw  the  redeemed  from  among  men,  worshipping  the 

Lamb,  and  heard  them  sing.   Thou  art  worthy for  thou 

wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed,  hast  bought  us  to  God,  with  thy 
blood. — This  is  the  uniform  testimony  of  scripture.  The  Father 
gave    the    Son,    and   the    Son    gave  himself; — yielded  up  his 

Wood, — his  life, — a  ransom  for  us, — the  price  of  our  redemption^ 
.31 


242  SERMON    XX. 

By  the  blood  of  Christ,  as  an  atoning  sacrifice,  a  propitiation 
for  sin,  justice  is  satisfied  ;  and  the  penitent  believing  sinner,  is 
bought  off  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  from  the  punishment,  which 
the  law  denounced,  and  justice  demanded.  By  tlie  same  pro- 
pitiatory blood,  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  meritoriously  pro- 
cured, with  his  enhghtening,  and  renovating  influences,  to  dispel 
the  moral  darkness  of  our  souls ;  to  subdue  the  native  enmity  of 
our  hearts ;  to  create  us  anew,  after  the  image  of  God,  in  right- 
eousness, and  true  holiness  ;  and  thus  to  deliver  us  from  the  ser- 
vitude of  sin  and  Satan,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  so7is  of 
God.  The  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  is  the  price  of  our  whole 
redemption.  Hence,  the  scriptures  represent  this  precious  blood, 
not  only  as  expiating  the  guilt ;  but  also  as  cleansing  from  the 
pollution  of  sin ; — not  only  as  obtaining  for  us  forgiveness,  and 
saving  us  from  eternal  death ;  but  also  as  sprinkling  our  hearts 
from  an  evil  conscience,  purging  our  conscience  from  dead  works, 
cleansing  us  from  all  filth  iness  of  flesh  and  spirit,  and  procuring 
for  us  all  the  blessings  of  eternal  salvation. 

Thus,  believers,  you  have  been  bought  with  a  price.  Con- 
jointly by  the  Father  and  the  Son,  with  the  precious  blood  of  the 
Son,  you  have  been  redeemed  from  eternal  death,  and  from  the 
ignominious,  the  guilty,  and  miserable  bondage  of  sin  and  Satan  : 
that  being  delivered  from  the  hand  of  all  your  enemies,  you  might 
serve  God  ivithout  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteousness  before  him, 
all  the  days  of  your  life,  and  finally  obtain  salvation  with  eternal 
glory,  in  his  heavenly  kingdom. 

INFERENCES  AND  REFLECTIONS. 

1.  It  was  not  competent  to  the  sovereignty  of  God  to  save 
sinners  without  an  atonement. 

The  necessity  of  atonement  has  often  been  strongly  objected 
to,  as  being  incompatible  with  the  sovereign  prerogative  of  the 
Most  High.  What  ?  it  has  been  demanded,  could  not  God  for- 
give sin,  without  an  atonement  ?  How  derogatory  must  the  sup- 
position be,  to  the  supreme  Governour  of  the  universe?  Even 
among  those  who  do  not  absolutely  deny  the  doctrine  of  atone- 
ment, we  not  uufrequently  meet  whh  ihe  sentiment,  in  sonip 


SERMON  XX.  243 

shape,  that  God  might,  had  he  seen  fit,  have  saved  sinners,  with- 
out such  an  expedient.     The  sentiment,  like   too  many  others, 
for  which  speculating  men  have  a  fondness,   is  h)qiothetical  and 
fallacious.     God  might,   had  he  seen  jit  I — With  equal  truth  and 
propriety  it  might  be  said,  that  God  might,  had  he  seen  fit,  have 
abrogated  the  law  of  perfect  rectitude,  violated  all  the  rights  of 
eternal  justice,   overturned  the  foundations  of  the  universe,  ban- 
ished holy  beings  from  his  presence,  and  taken  rebellious  angels 
and  men,  with  all  their  malignity  and  pollution,  to  dwell  with 
him  in  heaven  !    But  surely  a  sovereignty  which  could   do   all 
this,  must  be  very  different  from  that  which  is  exercised  by  the 
high  and  lofty  One,  who  inhabiteth  eternity,  and  whose  name  is 
HOLY.     His  throne  is  established  in  righteousness.     It  does  not 
belong  to  his  sovereignty  to  violate,   or  to  disregard,  the  claims 
of  eternal  justice.     Whatever  vain  man  may  think,  his  word  dis- 
tinctly informs   us,  that  he  has  bought  off  sinful  men  from  the 
curse  of  the  law,  with  a  price ;  that  he  has  set  forth  his  Son  to 
be  a  propitiatio7i,  through  faith  in  his  blood ;  and  for  this  pur- 
pose  expressly,   that  he  might  be  just,  and  yet  the  justifier  of 
him  that  believeth.     The  case,  then,  is  as  clear  as  his  word  could 
make  it,  that  he  could  not,  consistently  with  justice, — could  not, 
in  the  exercise  of  a  rightful  and  holy  sovereignty,  have  pardon- 
ed sin,  and  saved  the  sinner,  without  an  atonement. 

2.  It  was  not  competent  to  the  sovereignty  of  God,   to  save 
^sinners  without  an  adequate  atonement. 

Some  who  admit  the  doctrine  of  atonement,  with  no  small 
degree  of  laxity  indeed,  entertain  the  notion,  that  it  was  perfect- 
ly optional  with  God  to  adopt  any  atonement  which  he  pleased, 
regardless,  altogether,  of  its  intrinsick  merits.  Another  hypo- 
thetical and  fahacious  notion.  Any  atonement  which  he  pleas- 
ed I — as  if  his  pleasure  were  completely  arbitrary,  directed  by  no 
rule,  restrained  by  no  right.  Men  might  just  as  well  say,  that  it 
is  optional  with  God,  and  a  prerogative  of  his  sovereignty,  to  lie, 
if  he  pleases.  But  his  word  assures  us  that  he  cannot  lie.  No 
more  can  he  do  any  thing,  in  the  least  incompatible  with  perfect 
rectitude,  or  with  the  claims  of  eternal  justice.  For  this  plain 
reason,  if  he  would  save  guilty  men,  he  must  buy  them;  and  foa- 


244  SERMON  XX. 

the  very  same  reason,  he  must  pay  for  them  an  adequate  price. 
If  justice  could  not  be  satisfied  without  an  atonement ;  so  neither 
could  it  be  satisfied  whhout  an  adequate  atonement.  Hence,  if 
the  blood  of  a  Being  of  infinite  dignity  were  no  more  than  an 
adequate  atonement  for  the  sins  of  the  world ;  then  the  blood  of 
a  mere  creature  would  be  infinitely  inadequate,  and  utterly  una- 
vailable. The  question,  therefore,  of  our  Redeemer's  divinity 
lies  at  the  very  foundation  of  the  gospel. 

3.  The  sovereignty  of  God  is  exercised,  not  for  the  destruc- 
tion, but  for  the  salvation  of  men. 

There  are  few  subjects,  respecting  which  men  have  more 
erroneous  notions,  than  respecting  the  sovereignty  of  God. 
While  some  imagine  that,  in  the  exercise  of  his  sovereignty,  God 
may  save  men  as  he  pleases,  without  regard  to  the  claims  of 
justice ;  others  seem  to  imagine,  that,  in  the  exercise  of  the 
same  sovereignty,  and  with  as  little  regard  to  justice,  he  may 
destroy  his  creatures  as  he  pleases.  But,  my  brethren,  the 
Governour  of  the  universe  has  no  prerogative  to  do  wrong.  Il 
is  his  glory,  and  the  safety  and  happiness  of  his  kingdom,  that 
he  can  do  only  what  is  right,  and  fit,  and  good. 

Earthly  sovereignties  are  either  hmited,  or  absolute.  A 
limited  sovereignty  is  regulated  by  law.  An  absolute  sovereignty 
is  uncontrolled  by  law.  The  sovereignty  of  God  is  in  one  sense 
absolute,  and  in  another  sense  limited.  His  will  is  the  law  of 
the  universe,  because  his  will  is  perfectly  right.  His  law  is  Ao/y, 
and  just,  and  good,  not  because  he  has  willed,  or  enacted  it; 
but  he  has  willed  and  enacted  it,  because  it  is,  in  itself,  holy, 
and  just,  and  good.  This  law,  therefore,  he  can  never  violate, 
and,  by  this  law  his  sovereignty  is  regulated.  A  monarch,  or 
magistrate,  of  limited  sovereignty,  cannot  put  his  subjects  to 
death,  otherwise  than  according  to  law ;  and  in  executing  the 
sentence,  he  does  not  exercise  the  prerogative  of  an  absolute 
sovereign  ;  but  only  does  what  publick  justice  and  the  law  re- 
quires. A  limited  sovereign,  however,  is  clothed  with  a  pre- 
rogative to  grant  a  reprieve,  or  a  pardon,  to  an  ofiender,  on 
whom  the  sentence  of  the  law  has  passed.  This  prerogative  is 
Tested  in  him.,   on  account  of  the  imperfection  of  human  laws  : 


SERMON   XX.  246 

md  it  is  only  in  granting  a  reprieve,  or  pardon,  that  he  exercises 
a  discretionary  sovereignty.  But  as  the  law  of  God  is  in  all 
respects  perfect,  it  admits  of  no  such  provision,  no  such  discre- 
tionary dispensation.  Its  sentence  can  never  be  set  aside,  or 
mitigated,  vvitliout  an  adequate  expiation. 

1  herefore,  as  we  have  seen,  God  gave  a  ransom  for  mankind, 
his  own  guilty  creatures,  that  he  might  have  it  in  his  power,  con- 
sistently witii  justice,  to  remit  tlie  penalty  of  the  law,  and  grant 
them  pardon  and  life.  He  sent  his  Son  into  the  world,  not  to 
condemn  the  world,  but  that  the  world  through  him  might  he 
saved.  Tlie  world  was  condemned  already ;  and  in  executing 
upon  them  the  sentence  of  the  law,  God  would  have  acted,  not 
as  an  absolute  sovereign,  but  as  a  righteous  judge.  He  would 
only  have  done  what,  had  no  ransom  been  found  out,  publick 
justice  would  have  required  him  to  do.  He  has  acted  as  a  sove- 
reign, in  the  most  proper  sense,  in  finding  and  exhibiting  a  ran- 
som ;  in  buying  his  guilty  creatures  otF  from  the  curse  of  the  law ; 
in  placing  them  under  a  dispensation  of  mercy  ;  in  bestowing  his 
renovating  grace  ;  and  in  granting  to  penitent  believers  pardon 
and  salvation.  His  sovereignty,  then,  is  infinitely  gracious,  and 
amiable,  and  glorious.  It  is  clothed,  when  rightly  viewed,  not 
with  stifiening  terrors,  but  with  the  most  powerful  attractions. 
It  is  to  his  sovereignty  that  we  are  to  look  for  pardon  and  eternal 
life.  But  if  we  neglect  the  great  salvation,  which,  at  such  an 
immense  price,  he  has  procured  for  us,  we  are  to  expect,  not 
from  his  sovereignty,  but  from  his  justice,  final  condemnation, 
and  eternal  death. 

4.  We  are  as  much  indebted  to  the  Father  as  to  the  Son, 
for  our  redemption. 

It  is  true,  that  the  Son  died  for  us.  It  is  also  true,  that  in 
dying  for  us,  he  offered  himself  a  sacrifice /or  ms  to  God.  This, 
however,  was  not  because  the  Son  loved  us  more  than  did  the 
Father  ;  but  because,  in  this  great  transaction,  the  Father  held 
the  prerogatives  of  supreme  Governour  and  Guardian  of  the 'uni- 
verse, to  whom  it  belonged  to  maintain  the  honour  of  the  law, 
and  the  rights  of  justice  ;  and  the  Son  acted  as  Mediator,  on 
whom  it  devolved  so  to  magnify  th»  violated  law,  and  so  to  satis- 


'346  SERMON   XX. 

fy  the  claims  of  justice,  thai  the  ofiender,  by  the  renovating  grace 
oi"  the  Holy  Spirit,  might  be  restored  to  peace  with  the  Godhead. 
In  redeeming  us,  as  we  have  seen,  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
though  they  exercised  difterent  offices,  yet  acted  conjointly. 
Their  design  was  one ;  their  love  and  grace  the  same;  and  to 
the  one  and  the  other  we  are  equally  indebted.  This  we  should 
ever  more  feel ;  and  it  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  any  expres- 
sions in  our  devotions,  and  even  in  some  of  our  publick  hynnis, 
should  tend  to  a  different  impression.  To  the  Holy  Spirit,  also, 
by  whose  powerful  grace  the  atoning  blood  is  applied,  and  the 
heirs  of  salvation  are  renewed,  and  sanctified,  and  comforted, 
and  sealed,  and  kept  unto  the  day  of  redemption,  we  owe  the 
same  gratitude,  as  to  the  Father  and  the  Sou.  He  completes 
the  work,  in  which  all  the  adorable  three  are  perfectly  united. 

5.  The  atonement  is  a  most  stupendous  proof  of  the  good- 
ness and  mercy  of  God. 

It  was  not  because  God  was  not  merciful,  that  he  required 
an  atonement;  but,  because  he  would  be  a  just  God,  as  well  as 
a  Saviour ;  and  because  he  could  not  be  just,  and  yet  pardon 
and  save  the  ungodly,  without  an  atonement.  But,  when  justice 
required  that,  if  sinners  were  pardoned  and  saved,  atonement 
should  be  made,  he  himself  found  the  ransom  ;  he  himself  bought 
us  with  a  price ;  that  he  might  exercise  his  mercy,  and  show  the 
exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in  forgiving  iniquity,  and  trans- 
gression, and  sin,  and  bestowing  even  upon  the  chief  of  sinners, 
all  the  blessings  of  salvation.  The  atonement,  therefore,  is  the 
most  striking  proof  of  his  infinite  goodness  and  mercy,  which 
could  have  been  exhibited.  As  such  it  is  celebrated  by  the 
sacred  writers,  and  in  the  anthems  of  heaven.  God  commendeth 
his  love  towards  m5,  says  Paul,  in  that,  while  we  ivere  yet  sinners, 
Chhist  died  for  us.  In  this  was  manifested  the  love  of  God, 
says  John,  because  that  God  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  into  the 
world,  that  ive  might  live  through  him.  Herein  is  love,  not  that 
we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the 
propitiation  for  our  sins.  And  this  beloved  apostle  heard  all  the 
multitude  of  heavenly  worshippers  celebrating  this  transcendent 
love  in  the   most   exalted  strains  of  blessiyig,  and  honour,  and 


SERMON   XX.  247 

^lory,  and  praise,  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto 
ihc  Lamb. 

Christians,  do  you  hope,  ere  long,  to  bear  a  pari  in  this 
celestial  anthem  ?  Do  you  feel  the  spirit  of  it  now  ?  The  saints, 
of  our  fallen  race,  now  before  the  throne,  were  all  bought  with  a 
price ;  and  this  is  their  most  grateful  and  delightful  theme. 
Yon,  also,  have  been  bought  with  the  same  price  ;  and  your 
hearts  should  glow  with  the  same  holy  gratitude ;  your  lips 
should  utter  the  same  holy  praise.  Alas  !  how  little  is  uttered  ! 
How  little  is  felt !  How  lamentably  low  are  our  gratitude  and 
praise  !  How  lamentably  the  world  engrosses  those  hearts  and 
tongues,  which  should  be  filled  with  the  riches  of  divine  love  ! — 
Knowye  not,  christians,  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy 

Ghost  'i and  ye  are  not  your  own ;  for  ye  are   bought 

with  a  price,  that  ye  should  glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in 
your  spirit,  which  are  God''s.  Can  you  forget  that  you  have 
been  redeemed,  not  with  silver  and  gold,  but  with  the  precious 
blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish,  and  without  spot ; 
that,  denying  -ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  you  should  live 
soberly,  and  righteously,  and  godly  in  the  world,  showing  forth 
the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  you  unto  his  kingdom  and 
glory  ?  Be  entreated  to  remember  whose  you  are,  and  what  are 
your  obligations.  Keep  yourselves  in  the  love  of  God,  and  tvaUc 
worthy  of  him  unto  all  pleasing. 

Ye,  who  are  yet  in  unbelief,  Jesus  Christ  gave  himself  a  ran- 
som for  all;  he  tasted  death  for  every  rnan ;  he  died  for  you. 
Will  you  deny  the  Lord  that  bought  you  ?  Will  you  treat  his 
blood,  the  price  of  your  redemption,  as  an  unholy  thing.''  Will 
you  reject  his  grace,  and  refuse  to  be  his  ?  Where,  then,  will 
you  go,  and  what  will  you  do  ?  There  is  no  other  name  under 
heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  you  can  be  saved;  neither  is 
there  salvation  in  any  other.  The  fact,  that  Christ  is  set  forth  a 
■propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,  is  unspeakably  moment- 
ous. It  gives  assurance,  at  once,  that  if  you  come  penitently 
unto  him,  you  will  certainly  obtain  pardon  and  life  ;  and  that,  if 
you  neglect  this  great  salvation,  you  cannot  escape,  but  will  cer- 
tainly perish  forever.     And,  if  ha  that  despised  JVhsr.s^  law  died 


•248  SERMON   XX. 

without  mercy,  under  two  or  three  witnesses  ;  of  how  much  sorer 
punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  he  thought  worthy,  who  hath 
trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood 
of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he  teas  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing, 
and  hath  done  despite  unto  the  spirit  of  grace  ?  Verily,  it  must 
be  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hetnds  of  the  living  God. 


SERMON   XXI. 


DEMONSTRATION  THAT  GOD  IS  LOVE. 


»®« 


1  John  iv.  10. 

Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God.,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his 
Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins. 

X  HE  perfections  of  God  are  the   riches  of  the  universe.     In 

the  display  of  his  perfections  are  the  glory  of  his  own  holy  name, 

and  the  happiness  of  the  innumerable  myriads  of  his  creatures. 

The  display  is  made  in  all  his  works,  throughout  their  immense 

variety.     Every  where  his  creatures  behold  proofs  of  his  eternal 

power  and  Godhead.     Every  where  there  are  displays,  not  only 

of  his  power  and  his  wisdom,   but  also  of  his  goodness.     It  is, 

however,  in  the  work  of  redemption  that  his  goodness,  especially, 

beams  forth  in  all  its  resplendence.     This  sentiment  is  very 

forcibly  expressed  by  the  apostle,  in  our  text  and  context.     He 

says,  God  is  love.     In  this  was  manifested  the  love  of  God  toward 

us,  because  that  God  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  into  the  world, 

that  we  might  live  through  him.     Herein  is  love,  not  that  toe  loved 

God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation 

for  our  sins.     Here,  as  proof,  as  demonstration  that  God  is  love, 

or  essential  goodness,   the  aposde  alleges  the  fact,  of  his  having 

manifested  his  love  towards  us,  by  sending  his  only  begotten  Son 

into  the  world,  for  our  redemption  and  salvation.     In  this  is  love  ; 

in  this  is  proof  that  God  is  infinite   goodness.     From  t!)o  text,. 

then,  we  have  this  doctrine,  viz. 

32 


250  SERMON   XXI. 

God's  love  towards  us,  manifested  in  sending  his 
son  to  be  a  propitiation  for  our  sins,  is  a  most  striking 
deimonstration,  that  he  is  infinitely  good. 

To  illustrate  and  establish  this  doctrine,  nothing  more  is 
needful,  than  to  unfold  the  several  points  of  the  text ;  a  text  of 
wonderful  comprehension  and  strength,  and  every  word  of  which 
has  high  meaning  and  emphasis. 

Herein  is  love, — not  that  we  loved  god.  This,  had  it 
been  even  so,  would  have  been  no  wonder;  for  God  is  worthy 
of  our  love.  But,  that  he  loved  us.  This  is  the  wonder  ; 
this  is  proof  of  the  purest  benevolence.  And  sent  his  son  to 
BE  the  propitiation  FOR  OUR  SINS.  This  proves  his  benevo- 
lence to  be  infinite.  If  God  has  loved  us,  if  he  has  so  loved  us, 
as  to  send  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins ;  then  he  is 
love — pure,  essential,  infinite  love. 

This  argument  comprises  several  important  points ;  viz. 
Our  unworthiness ;  the  majesty  of  God  ;  the  dignity  and  relation 
of  the  Son  ;  the  nature  of  his  errand  into  our  world  ;  the  way  in 
which  it  was  performed  ;  and  the  benefits  which  it  was  intended 
to  confer. 

I.  Let  us  consider  our  unworthiness.  Hereiii  is  love,  .  .  .  .  , 
that  God  hath  loved  us. 

What,  then,  ai-e  we  ?  Creatures  of  yesterday ;  children  of 
the  dust ;  dwellers  in  houses  of  clay.  Yet  sinners ! — sinners 
against  God  ;  rebels  against  the  government  of  heaven ;  enemies 
to  our  Maker  in  our  minds  by  wicked  works!  Had  we  been 
without  sin,  we  should  still  have  been  as  nothing.  Our  goodness 
could  not  have  extended  unto  God ;  nor  could  he  have  been 
worshipped  by  our  hands,  as  needing  any  thing  of  us.  But  God 
commendeth  his  love  toivards  us,  in  that  ivhile  we  were  yet  sin- 
ners, Christ  died  for  us;  sinners,  under  the  just  condemnation 
of  his  law,  and  deserving  everlasting  destruction  at  his  hand. 
In  us  he  could  see  nothing  to  regard  with  complacency  or  de- 
light, but  every  thing  to  abhor  and  detest.  He  saw  us  under 
the  dominion  of  the  carnal  mind,  which  is  enmity  against  him, 
not  subject  to  his  law,  neither  indeed  can  be  ;  alienated  from  all 
that  is  good,   and  prone  to  all  that  is  evil ;  sunk  in  deep  corrup- 


SERMON  XXI.  251 

tion,   defiled  with  every  pollution,   hateful,  and  even  hativg  one 
another. 

Yet,  he  loved  us.  Not,  indeed,  with  the  love  of  complacency ; 
not  with  delight  in  us,  in  our  dispositions,  or  ways.  For  he  is 
not  a  God  that  hath  pleasure  in  ivickedness,  neither  shall  evil 
dwell  with  him.  He  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil,  and 
cannot  look  on  iniquity.  But  he  loved  us  with  pity,  with  gra- 
cious good  will,  with  tender  and  ardent  benevolence.  He  be- 
held us  in  all  our  guilt,  when  there  was  no  eye  to  pity,  and  no 
other  arm  that  could  save  ;  and  the  time  ivas  a  time  of  love.  He 
had  compassion  on  us,  and  all  his  wisdom  and  love  were  engag- 
ed for  our  deliverance  and  recovery.  Is  not  this,  then,  a  proof, 
a  decisive  proof,  that  God  is  love, — pure,  essential,  infinite 
goodness.'' 

II.  Let  us  consider  the  majesty  of  God. 

JVot  that  we  loved  God,  hut  that  he  loved  us.  But  how 
shall  we  speak  or  think  of  him  ; — the  high  and  lofty  One,  tvho 
inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is  holy  9  Before  the  earth  or  the 
heavens  existed,  he  dwelt  in  blessedness,  immeasurable  and  un- 
changeable. Of  old  he  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth  ;  and 
the  heavens  are  the  work  of  his  hands.  The  universe,  with  all 
its  fulness,  is  his ;  the  product  of  his  will,  and  the  temple  of  his 
glory.  He  spake,  and  it  was  done ;  he  commanded,  and  it 
stood  fast. 

Look  then  to  the  earth,  on  which  you  dwell ;  and  lift  up 
your  eyes  to  the  unmeasured  and  resplendent  expanse  over  your 
heads.  How  great,  and  how  majestick  must  that  Being  be,  who 
made  and  who  supports  the  wondrous  fabrick  !  But  what  is  the 
earth .''  and  what  are  those  heavens  ?  The  eartli,  we  know,  is  a 
mansion  for  various  tribes  of  creatures;  and,  especially,  for  a 
numerous  race  of  intelligent  beings.  This,  however,  is  but  one 
of  a  wondrous  system  of  similar  orbs,  of  which  tlie  sun  is  the 
centre.  Are  not  those  other  orbs,  then,  some  of  which  are  many 
times  larger  than  this,  also  mansions  for  sensitive  and  irttelligent 
beings  ?  But,  besides  our  sun,  and  his  planetary  attendants,  the 
stupendous  firmament  is  studded  with  innumerable  other  lights. 
What,  then,  are  ihev  .**  What  those  fixed  stars,  which,  on  account 


252  SERMON   XXI. 

of  their  immeasurable  distance,  are  either  invisible  to  the  unassist- 
ed eye,  or  else  only  appear  as  twinkling  points  ?  WIio  can  ra- 
tionally doubt  that  they  are  so  many  suns,  each,  like  our  res- 
plendent orb  of  day,  dispensing  genial  Hght  and  heat  to  a  sur- 
rounding system  of  planets?  But  who  can  count  the  stars?  Who 
can  number  those  suns  ?  More  than  a  diousand  of  them  are  visi- 
ble to  the  unassisted  eye  ;  Astronomy,  aided  by  her  glasses,  tells 
of  no  less  than  eighty  millions  ;  as  the  glasses  are  improved, 
new  discoveries  are  continually  making ;  and,  beyond  the  most 
distant  star  that  twinkles  in  the  field  of  the  most  powerful  tele- 
scope, other  firmaments  may  shine,  and  other  systems  roll, 
through  the  immensity  of  space  ;  all  teeming  with  hfe, — all 
peopled  by  intelHgent  beings,  created,  sustained,  and  governed, 
by  the  same  God,  who  sent  his  Son,  his  only  begotten,  into  our 
world  ! 

Who,  then,  is  not  ready  to  exclaim,  with  the  astonished 
Psalmist,  When  1  consider  thy  heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fingers, 
the  moon  and  the  stars,  which  thou  hast  ordained;  what  is  man, 
that  thou  art  mindful  of  him?  and  the  son  of  man,  that  thou 
visiiest  him  ?  Behold,  the  nations  are  as  a  drop  of  a  bucket,  and 
arc  counted  as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance.  To  the  unmeasur- 
ed universe,  to  the  unnumbered  worlds  and  systems  of  worlds, 
in  which  the  everlasting  God  dwells,  and  reigns,  and  displays  the 
grandeur  of  his  attributes,  this  earth,  with  all  the  tribes  and 
generations  of  its  inhabitants,  is  no  more  than  a  grain  of  sand  to 
the  entire  globe.  And  yet,  this  high  and  lofty  ONE  hath  loved 
us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  Must 
he  not  then  be  love  ?  If,  from  the  heights  of  his  glory,  and  from 
amidst  the  infinitude  of  his  works,  and  wonders,  and  cares,  and 
regards,  he  shows  such  kindness  towards  us,  worthless  and  vile 
as  we  are,  must  he  not  be  essential  and  infinhe  benevolence  ? 

III.  The  dignity  and  relation  of  the  Son  claim  to  be  con- 
sidered. 

He  sent  his  son.  There  is  evidently  upon  this  a  particular 
emphasis.  His  Son,  not  in  the  sense  in  which  angels  and  saints 
are  called  his  sons ;  but  his  own  proper  Son,  his  only  begotten ; 
ivho  was  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father, — as  one  brought  up  unth 


SERMON   XXL  253 

)iim,  and  continually  his  delight;  who  is  the  hrighiness  of  the 
Father^s  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person  ;  by  whom 
and  for  whom  all  things  were  made ;  and  whom  all  the  angels 
of  God  ivorship.  Him  the  Father  sent  forth  into  the  world,  that 
we  might  live  through  him. 

It  were  love,  pure,  essential  goodness,  had  the  blessed  and 
only  Potentate  condescended  to  regard  us  with  any,  the  least 
thought  of  kindness.  It  were  unspeakable  love,  had  he  sent  only 
an  angel  from  his  heavenly  presence,  to  assure  us  of  his  com- 
passion, and  to  call  us  to  our  duty.  But,  to  send  his  Son,  his 
only  begotten,  in  whom  he  had  infinite  delight,  and  by  whom  he 
made  the  icorlds, — this  was  a  demonstration  of  his  ilhmitable  be- 
nevolence, which  could  not  fail  of  being  felt  throughout  the  uni- 
verse, and  during  eternal  ages.     But, 

IV".  What  was  the  errand,  on  which  the  Son  of  the  Highest 
was  sent  forth  ? 

It  was,  to  be  a  propitiation  for  our  sins  ; — an  errand  which 
no  created  being  could  perform  ;  the  very  last  errand,  on  which 
God  should  be  expected  to  send  his  Son. 

To  be  a  propitiation  for  our  sins  ; — for  our  sins  against 
whom .''  Against  God  himself.  Yes,  the  Majesty  of  the  universe 
sent  iorth  his  Son  from  his  bosom  to  be  a  propitiation, — to  make 
an  atonement, — for  sins  against  himself,  committed  by  us,  vile 
worms  of  the  dust,  engaged  in  an  impotent,  desperate,  and  most 
wicked  rebellion  against  his  throne  and  kingdom.  He  might 
have  crushed  our  entire  race  as  a  moth.  He  might  have  blotted 
this  polluted  earth  from  the  map  of  his  immense  dominions ; — 
and  who  would  have  missed  it.^  He  might  have  consigned  our 
whole  guilty  species  to  some  dark  and  woful  prison,  remote  from 
all  the  CQuntless  worlds  of  holy  and  happy  beings; — and  who 
would  have  thought  of  them  more .''  And  in  so  doing  he  would 
have  been  just.  We  should  have  sutiered  no  more  than  our 
deserts.  But,  from  his  glorious  high  throne,  he  beheld  us  with 
compassion,  and  resolving,  not  on  our  destruction,  birt  on  our 
salvation,  he  sent  forth  his  Son,  his  only  begotten,  to  be  a  pro- 
pitiation, that  HE  might,  consistently  with  eternal  justice,  grant 


254  SERMON  XXI. 

to  us  pardon  and  life.     Herein,  surely,  is  love ;    the  most  strik- 
ing demonstration  of  pure  and  boundless  goodness.     But, 

V.  In  what  way  was  the  Son  to  perform  his  gracious  and 
momentous  errand  ^ 

Here,  my  brethren,  is  the  wonder  of  wonders.  He  was  to 
assume  our  nature,  and  die  in  our  stead  !  Though,  being  in  the 
form  of  God,  he  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God  ; 
yet  he  was  to  make  himself  of  no  reputation  ;  to  take  upon  him. 
the  form  of  a  servant,  and  be  made  in  the  likeness  of  men  ;  and 
being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  was  to  humble  himself,  and 
become  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross.  Ail  this, 
accordingly,  he  did;  all  this  he  suffered.  He  was  born  of  a 
woman  ;  he  was  made  under  the  law  ;  he  became  fesh,  and  dwelt 
among  tis, — a  man  of  sorroivs  and  acquainted  with  grief  He 
was  stricken,  and  smitten  to  death.  He  bore  our  sins  in  his  own 
body  on  the  tree.  He  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God,  for 
our  iniquities,  that,  by  this  amazing  sacrifice,  he  might  obtain 
eternal  redemption  for  us. 

This  stupendous  fact,  my  brethren,  speaks  in  a  language, 
which  no  tongue  of  men,  or  of  angels,  can  equal.  That  Almighty 
God,  the  Maker  and  Sovereign  of  unnumbered  worlds,  should 
send  the  Son  of  his  bosom  down  to  this  polluted  clod,  to  atone, 
by  his  own  most  ignominious  sufferings  and  death,  for  the  sins 
of  such  vile  and  odious  worms  as  we  ! — Surely,  if  such  were  his 
love  towards  us,  his  infinite  nature  must  be  love  j  pure,  essential, 
illimitable  love  ! 

VI.  We  have  yet  to  consider  the  benefits  to  be  conferred, 
by  means  of  this  wondrous  propitiation. 

These  benefits  are  many,  and  of  the  highest  possible  value. 
The  first  to  be  named  is,  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins-  Only 
they  who  think  lightly  of  sin  can  think  lightly  of  forgiveness. 
Had  there  been  no  propitiation,  sin  would  have  sunk  this  whole 
guilty  world  in  utter  perdition.  Our  sins,  if  not  pardoned,  would 
utterly  separate  us  from  all  good,  and  fix  us  in  unrelievable  and 
everlasting  wo.  The  sinner,  the  unpardoned  sinner,  can  never 
dwell  with  God  ;  can  never  be  at  peace  with  his  Maker ;  can 
never  find  happiness  or  rest,  in  any  part  of  the  universe  which 


SERMON  XXI.  255 

the  holy  Inhabiter  upholds  and  governs,  and  fills  with  his  pres- 
ence and  glory.  What  an  immense  benefit  must  it  be  to  us,  to 
each  individual,  to  obtain  the  pardon  of  sin  !  How  unutterably 
wretched  would  our  condition  now  be,  had  we  no  hope  of  for- 
giveness,— no  way  of  escape, — no  prospect,  but  to  endure  from 
tlie  inflictions  of  our  own  consciences,  from  the  abhorrence  of 
the  universe,  and  from  the  hand  of  Almighty  God,  the  punish- 
ment, the  never  to  be  mitigated  punishment,  which  our  sins  de- 
serve ! 

But  we  have  the  hope  of  pardon.  And  why  ?  Because 
God  hath  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  It  is 
this  which  renders  our  present  condition  tolerable  ;  it  is  this 
which  opens  to  us  the  prospects  of  immortality  ;  but  for  this,  we 
should  be  widiout  hope,  without  light,  without  solace.  But 
God  hath  set  forth  his  Son  to  be  a  propitiation,  and  in  him  we 
have  redemption,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  Through  his 
atoning  blood,  pardon  is  graciously  offered  to  every  one  of  us  ; 
and  to  every  one  who  penitently  believes  on  him,  pardon  is  ac- 
tually granted  and  sealed.     To  such,  there  is  no  condemnation. 

Being  thus  pardoned  and  justified,  ive  have  peace  ivith  God. 
The  bar  of  separation,  between  his  holy  Majesty  and  us  misera- 
ble offenders,  is  removed.  Through  the  propitiatory  blood  of 
his  Son,  we  are  reconciled  to  him,  and  he  to  us. 

Through  the  same  propitiation,  we  receive  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  to  abide  with  us  forever.  It  is  not,  indeed,  until 
born  of  the  Spirit,  that  we  come  by  faith  to  the  propitiatory  sac- 
rifice, receive  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  are  brought  into  peace 
with  God.  Having  created  us  anew,  the  gracious  Spirit  of  glory 
and  of  God  condescends  ever  afterwards  to  dwell  in  us,  and  re- 
new us  more  and  more  after  the  image  of  God,  in  righteousness 
and  true  holiness. 

Thus  we  become  the  children  of  God,  are  admitted  to  his 
family  as  his  sons  and  daughters,  and  are  made  heirs  of  God, 
and  joint  heirs  with  Christ.  God  is  not  ashamed  to-be  called 
our  God.  He  bestows  upon  us  tokens  of  his  parental  favour ; 
he  guides  us  through  our  sublunary  pilgrimage  by  his  gracious 
counsel ;    he  kindlv  makes  all  things  conducive  to  our  highest 


255  SERMON   XXI. 

good  ;  and,  in  his  appointed  time,  he  will  remove  us  from  these 
regions  of  sin  and  sorrow  to  mansions  of  heavenly  glory,  there  to 
behold  his  face  in  righteousness,  and  to  dwell  forever  with  him. 
Such,  very  imperfectly  described,  are  the  benefits  which 
God  designed  for  us,  when  he  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation 
for' our  sins.  From  the  depths  of  corruption,  guilt,  and  wretch- 
redness,  he  designed,  by  means  of  the  propitiation,  to  raise  us  up, 
pardoned  and  cleansed,  justified  and  sanctified,  renewed  after 
his  own  image,  and  made  perfect  in  his  likeness,  and,  in  the 
presence  of  the  universe,  to  give  us  a  place  at  his  own  right  hand, 
in  the  realms  of  immortal  light,  blessedness,  and  glory.  Herein, 
then,  is  love.  In  thus  loving  us,  he  gave  a  demonstration,  than 
which  none  more  decisive,  none  more  striking,  none  more  sure 
to  be  perceived  and  felt  in  all  parts  of  his  dominions,  and 
throughout  all  ages,  could  have  been  given,  that  he  is  love, — 
pure  benevolence, — essential  and  infinite  goodness. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  Our  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ  must  be  a  work  most  deeply 
interesting  to  all  intelligent  beings. 

Is  the  creation  of  God  of  immeasurable  extent  ?  In  the  re- 
gions of  immensity,  are  there  existing  many  millions  of  worlds, 
all  peopled  with  intelligences  of  different  orders .''  All  these 
worlds,  and  all  their  inhabitants,  are  in  the  hand  of  him,  in  whom 
WE  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being.  What,  then,  could  be 
more  interesting  to  them  all,  than  to  know  that  God  is  love  ? 
And  what  stronger  proof,  what  more  striking  demonstration  could 
be  given,  of  this  momentous  truth,  on  which  the  happiness  of 
the  universe  depends,  than  is  given  in  the  work  of  our  salvation!* 
Will  it  be  said,  that  we  are  an  inferiour  order  of  beings,  and  that 
this  world  is  no  more  to  the  entire  empire  of  God,  than  a  drop 
to  the  ocean  ?  Be  it  even  so.  The  demonstration  is,  on  this 
very  account,  the  more  decisive  and  striking.  Had  it  been  for 
the  largest  of  his  worlds,  or  system  of  worlds,  and  for  the  highest 
order  of  his  intelligent  creatures,  that  God  set  forth  his  Son  to 
be  a  propitiation,  the  wonder  would  not  have  been  so  great. 
Herein  is  love,  that  God  has  so  loved  us  ;    that  such  a  sacrifice 


SERMON   XXI.  257 

should  be  made  for  us.  This  is  the  main  point  in  the  demon- 
stration. If,  in  such  a  world  as  this,  and  towards  such  a  race  as 
we  are,  such  amazing  love  has  been  manifested  ;  how  pure, 
how  disinterested,  how  tender,  and  how  strong  is  the  benevo- 
lence of  the  universal  Creator  and  Sovereign  ;  and  what  must 
be  its  exercises  towards  other  worlds,  and  other  orders  of  beings  .'* 
Nor  let  it  be  imagined  that,  because  the  wonder  has  been  ex- 
hibited in  so  obscure  a  nook  of  the  universe,  it  will  not  be  ex- 
tensively known,  or  extensively  engage  attention.  We  should 
not  imagine  that  all  other  intelligent  beings  are  like  ourselves, 
stupid  mortals,  who  tliink  but  little,  and  care  but  little,  about 
God,  his  character,  or  his  works.  Holy  beings,  from  the  lowest 
to  the  highest  order,  have  their  eyes  constantly  upon  God,  and 
their  hearts  all  alive  to  every  display  of  his  perfections,  to  every 
developement  of  his  character.  Angels,  we  know,  take  a  most 
lively  interest  in  what  concerns  our  salvation.  Into  these  things 
they  desire  to  look.  The  Saviour's  birth  they  hailed  with  an 
extatick  anthem.  His  death  they  witnessed  with  amazement. 
Over  every  sinner  made  a  partaker  of  his  salvation,  they  rejoice. 
The  triumphs  of  his  grace  they  celebrate  with  unceasing  songs 
around  the  throne,  and  throughout  all  the  extent  of  heaven. 
Nor  should  we  doubt  that,  passing  with  the  velocity  of  light  from 
world  to  world,  they  have  proclaimed,  to  the  remotest  bounds  of 
the  universe,  what  God  has  done  for  mankind ;  nor  that  the 
tidings  have  been  received  with  far  other  feehngs,  than  those 
with  which  they  are  regarded  in  this  chilling  region  of  sordid- 
Bess,  and  pride,  and  enmity,  and  unbelief. 

To  love  God,  and  to  be  assured  that  he  loves  them,  is  the 
highest  felicity  of  intelligent  beings.  But  would  the  inhabitants 
of  heaven,  or  of  any  other  part  of  the  universe,  have  their  love 
to  God  raised  to  the  highest  intensity,  or  receive  assurance  of 
his  love  to  them  with  the  deepest  impression,  they  Jiave  only  to 
turn  their  eyes,  or  their  thoughts,  to  the  cross  on  which,  in  this 
remote  and  rebellious  province  of  his  empire,  his  Son  has  bled 
and  died.  Here,  at  one  view,  they  see  that  God  is  lovk, — is 
infinite  goodness ;  and,  therefore,  worthy  of  the  highest  love, 
the  most  entire  and  ardent  devotion  of  all  his  creatures.     And  if 


258  SERMON   XXI. 

he  has  so  loved  us,  how  unspeakable  must  be  the  tenderness  and 
strengih  of  his  love  to  them  ;  and  what  will  he  not  do  for  their 
happiness,  and  for  the  general  felicity  and  glory  of  his  immense 
kingdom?  The  redemption,  then,  by  Jesus  Christ,  is  not  limited 
m  its  influence  and  benefits  to  this  world,  or  to  our  species  ; 
but  is  of  the  highest  importance,  and  conducive  to  an  unspeak- 
able advancement  of  happiness,  to  the  utmost  bounds  of  God's 
holy  kingdom. 

2.  This  demonstration  that  God  is  love,  should  most  power- 
fully affect  our  hearts,  and  influence  our  feelings  and  our  con- 
duct. 

It  was  towards  us,  that  this  stupendous  demonstration  was 
made.  It  was  for  our  sins,  that  God  sent  his  Son  to  be  a  pro- 
pitiation. How  guilty,  then,  and  how  deplorable,  was  our  con- 
dition !  We  may  assure  ourselves,  that  this  amazhig  sacrifice 
was  not  unnecessarily  made.  It  was  because  infinite  goodness 
saw  us  to  be  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  obnoxious  to  the 
tremendous  inflictions  of  eternal  justice.  He  beheld  us  in  our 
blood,  and  the  time  was  a  time  of  love.  He  sent  forth  his  Son 
from  his  bosom,  to  die  for  us,  that  we  might  have  life  through 
him.  This  love  should  dissolve  our  hearts.  It  should  convince 
us  most  deeply,  of  sin,  and  melt  us  into  the  tendcrest  penitence. 
It  should  constrain  us  to  turn  unto  God,  and,  with  all  our  hearts 
and  souls,  to  cast  ourselves  upon  his  everlasting  mercy.  Greater 
encouragement  could  not  be  offered  ;  stronger  inducement  could 
not  be  presented.  Verily,  there  is  forgiveness  unth  God,  and 
plenteous  redemption.  How  safe  are  we,  how  happy  our  condi- 
tion, how  glorious  our  prospects,  if  we  have  fled  for  refuge  to 
the  hope  set  before  us.  He,  who  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but 
delivered  him  up  for  ns  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely 
give  us  all  things  ?  His  love  is  as  unchangeable  as  it  is  unbound- 
ed ;  and  it  will  not  remh,  or  grow  weary,  until  its  work  is  com- 
pleted, in  die  highest  blessedness  and  glory  to  which  creatures 
can  be  raised.  How  ungrateful,  then,  must  we  be,  how  unrea- 
sonable, how  criminal,  if  we  do  not,  with  all  our  hearts  and 
powers,  love  him,  trust  in  him,  rejoice  in  him,  and  serve  and 
Morify  him.     O  w'lih  what  sensibility   should   we   feel  and  oc- 


SERMON  XXI.  259 

knowledge,  that  ive  are  not  our  own,  hut  are  hovglitwith  a  price; 
thai  we  sliould  not  live  any  more  to  ourselves,  but  wholly  to  him 
who  hath  bought  us,  and  called  us  unto  his  kin!j;dom  and  glory  ; 
that  our  best  affections,  and  most  devoted  services,  will  but  poor- 
ly repay  the  grace  which  he  has  bestowed  on  us ! 

And  if  God  have  so  loved  us,  surely  we  ought  also  to  love 
one  another.  Our  love  should  be  like  his,  pure,  disinterested 
benevolence ;  extending  to  all  our  fellow  beings,  to  the  low  as 
well  as  to  the  high,  to  the  poor  as  well  as  to  the  rich,  to  our 
enemies  as  well  as  to  our  friends.  If  we  have  not  the  spirit  of 
God,  we  are  none  of  his.  We  can  have  evidence,  that  we  are 
his  children,  only  in  as  far  as  we  are  conformed  to  his  image. 
This  is  the  ivill  of  God, — the  purpose  for  which  he  redeemed 
us,  and  has  given  to  us  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises, — 
that  we  should  become  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  be  followers 
of  him  as  dear  children,  and  find  substantial  and  immortal  happi- 
ness in  being  and  doing  like  him. 

3.  Our  subject  may  serve  to  show,  in  a  strong  light,  the  guilt 
and  the  danger  of  neglecting  the  gospel  salvation. 

Worms  of  the  dust  though  we  are,  yet  the  wretchedness  of 
our  fallen  condition  has  moved  the  heavens,  and  engaged  the  at- 
tention of  the  universe.  It  has  touched  the  heart  of  Him  who 
inhabiteth  eternity,  and  is  occupied  with  the  concerns  of  unnum- 
bered worlds.  It  has  brought  down  the  Son  of  the  Highest  from 
the  glory  which  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was,  to. 
the  humiliation  of  a  man  of  sorrows,  to  the  agonies  and  tears  of 
Gethsemane,  to  the  ignominies  and  woes  of  the  cross.  It  has 
called  forth  an  exhibition  of  divine  love,  which  has  astonished 
and  melted  the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places,  and 
produced,  throughout  the  unmeasured  dominions  of  God,  a  tide 
of  feeling  which  will  never  ebb,  but  will  flow  and  swell  to  the 
latest  ages  of  eternity.  Yet,  how  insensible  to  all  this  are  by 
far  the  greatest  part  of  mankind.  How  insensible  to  the  wretch- 
edness of  their  condition  ;  how  insensible  to  what  has  been  done 
for  their  recovery.  Exhibit  to  them  all  their  depravity,  and  all 
their  exposure,  and  set  forth  before  their  eyes  the  Son  of  God 
suffering  and  dying  for  them  ;  and  if  for  a  few  moments  you  can 


2G0  SERMON  XXI. 

engage  their  attention,  yet  they  will  presently  go  away,  one  to 
his  farm,  and  another  to  his  merchandize,  one  to  his  business, 
and  another  to  his  amusements,  and  care  no  more  for  all  that 
they  have  heard  and  seen.  O  what  amazing,  what  affecting 
stupefaction  !  What  blindness  of  mind  !  What  hardness  of  heart! 
What  determined  alienation  from  God  !  What  headlong  devoted- 
ness  to  the  ways  of  destruction  !  Surely,  a  more  decisive  evi- 
dence of  deep  depravity  could  not  be  exhibited,  than  to  slight 
this  great  salvation, — to  trample  under  foot  the  Son  of  God, — 
to  resist  or  disregard  the  most  stupendous  effort  of  infinite  love 
and  mercy, — to  prefer  the  bondage  of  Satan,  and  the  gratifica- 
tions of  sin,  to  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God,  and 
the  immortal  felicities  of  heaven  !  The  guilt  must  be  infinite,  and 
the  danger  must  be  most  fearful.  For,  how  shall  we  escape,  if 
we  neglect  so  great  salvation  ? 

It  should  not  be  overlooked,  it  should  be  most  distinctly 
noted,  that  in  the  most  stupendous  instance  of  divine  love  and 
mercy  ever  presented  to  the  universe,  there  was  also  the  most 
striking  exhibition  of  divine  justice.  Why  did  almighty  God 
set  forth  his  Son  as  a  propitiation  for  our  sins.^  It  was  because 
he  would  be  a  just  God,  as  well  as  a  Saviour.  Eternal  justice 
demanded  that  the  sinner  should  not  be  pardoned  without  an 
adequate  atonement.  Therefore,  the  Son  of  God,  the  Redeemer 
of  sinners,  must  die.  But,  if  these  things  were  done  in  a  green 
tree,  what  shall  he  done  in  the  dry  9  If  the  Son  of  God  himself 
could  not  save  sinners,  without  enduring  for  them  the  curse  of 
the  law, — without  satisfying  the  claims  of  justice  ;  what  must  the 
end  be  of  those  who  reject  his  atonement,  and  treat  his  blood  as 
an  unholy  thing?  For  them,  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice 
for  sins;  hut  a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery 
indignation,  which  shall  devour  the  adversaries.  Our  God  is  a 
consuming  fire.  Even  his  infinite  love  to  his  kingdom  will  burn 
against  the  obstinate  despisers  of  his  mercy,  and  enemies  of  his 
holiness,  even  to  the  lowest  hell.  O  consider  this,  ye  that  slight 
the  Saviour,  and  neglect  his  great  salvation  ;  lest  you  fall  under 
a  doom  as  terrible  as  the  salvation  is  glorious. — Amen. 


SERMON    XXIL 


ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST. 


►©• 


Acts  i.  V. 


And  when  he  had  spoken  these  things,  while  they  hcheld  he  n'as  taken, 
up,  and  a  cloud  received  him  out  of  their  sight. 

X  HE  religion  of  the  gospel  is  founded  upon  fact.  A  great 
portion  of  the  scriptures  is  a  record  of  facts  ;  and  from  the  facts, 
the  doctrines  and  instructions  result,  and  the  precepts,  the  warn- 
ings, and  the  promises,  derive  their  character  and  force.  If 
Christ  be  not  raised,  says  Paul,  your  faith  is  vain  ;  ye  are  yet  in 
your  sins.  Remove  the  fact  of  Christ's  resurrection  ;  and  the 
whole  fabrick  of  the  gospel  is  demolished  :  let  this  fact  remain, 
and  tlie  doctrine  of  salvation,  by  the  Son  of  God  crucified, 
stands  immoveable  as  the  pillars  of  heaven.  It  must,  then,  be  of 
primary  importance,  that  the  facts  of  the  gospel  be  well  estab- 
lished in  the  mind,  and  deeply  impressed  on  the  heart.  These 
are  loritten,  says  John,  that  ye  might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God ;  and  that,  believing,  ye  might  have  life 
through  his  name. 

The  ascension  of  Christ,  as  well  as  his  resurrection,  is  an 
important  fact  of  the  gospel.  This  is  the  subject  which  is  pre- 
sented in  our  text,  and  to  which,  my  brethren,  I  request  your 
present  attention. — It  may  be  useful  to  consider, 

I.  Some  of  the  circumstances  of  our  Lord's  ascension  ;  and 

II.  Some  of  the  purposes  for  which  he  ascended. 


2G2  SERMON   XXII. 

After  his  resurrection,  Jesus  shewed  himself  alive  to  his  dis- 
ciples, by  manrj  infallible  proofs  ;  being  seen  of  ih em  forty  days 
arid  speaking  of  the  things  p)crtaining  to  the  kingdom  of  God. 
His  presence  with  them,  though  occasional  only,  was  yet  most 
decisive  of  the  reahty  of  his  resurrection.  After  he  had  shewn 
himself  to  several  individuals,  and  to  the  eleven  disciples  all 
together ;  after  he  had  received  from  the  incredulous  I'homas 
the  memorable  confession,  My  lord,  and  my  god  ; — at  a 
mountain  in  Galilee,  appointed  for  the  purpose,  he  was  seen  of 
above  Jive  hundred  brethren  at  once.  From  Galilee,  his  apostles 
returned  to  Jerusalem ;  and  there  he  met  theu:i,  and  gave  them 
their  great  commission  :  Go  ye,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  ivhich  I  have  com- 
manded you  ;  and,  lo,  I  am  ivith  you  alivay,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world. 

He  then  led  them  out  to  the  eastern  part  of  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  the  border  of  Bethany ;  and  there  lifted  up  his  hands 
and  blessed  them.  And  when  he  was  blessing  them,  he  was  part- 
ed from  them,  and  carried  up  into  heaven  : — lohile  they  beheld^ 
he  ^vas  taken  tip,  and  a  cloud  received  him  out  of  their  sight. 
And  tvhile  they  looked  steadfastly  towards  heaven,  as  he  went  up, 
behold  two  men  stood  by  them  in  white  apparel ;  who  also  said^ 
Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven  ?  This 
same  Jesus,  who  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come 
in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaveri. 

It  is  an  interesting  circumstance,  that  Jesus  was  parted  from 
his  disciples,  while  in  the  act  of  giving  them  his  blessing. 
Whom  he  loveth,  he  loveth  to  the  end.  He  came  down  to  our 
world  on  an  errand  of  supreme  benevolence.  His  birth  was  an- 
nounced with  the  angelick  song.  Glory  to  God  in  the  Highest ; 
on  earth  peace;  good  ivill  towards  men.  In  the  days  of  his 
earthly  sojourn,  he  went  about,  doing  good.  When  expiring  on 
the  cross,  he  breathed  out  his  soul  in  the  compassionate  prayer 
for  his  murderers,  Father,  forgive  them  ;  for  they  know  not  what 
they  do!  And  at  the  last,  having  led  out  his  disciples  as  far  as 
.Sethany,  he  lifted  up  his  hands  and  blessed  them.     And  xvhilehe- 


SERMON   XXII.  265 

blessed  them,  he  icas  parted  from  them,  and  carried  up  into  heaven. 
Herein,  my  brethren,  is  love.  J\o  wonder  tliat  the  entranced 
disciples,  as  he  rose  h-om  tlie  nriidst  of  them,  and  ascended  on 
high,  eagerly  lollowed  him  with  tlieir  eyes. 

This  is  another  circumstance  particularly  mentioned. — 
While  the?  beheld,  he  was  taken  vp  ; — and  they  looked 

STEADFASTLY    TOWARDS     HEAVEN    AS    HE  WENT  UP.       His  mira- 

cles  were  wrouglit  in  the  open  face  of  day  ;  he  died  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  universe  ;  his  resurrection  was  attested  by  many  in- 
fallible proofs  ;  and  he  ascended  from  earth  to  heaven,  in  the 
view  of  a  company  of  competent  witnesses.  They  beheld  him  ; 
they  kept  their  eyes  intensely  fixed  on  him,  till  a  cloud  received 
him  out  of  their  sight ;  and  even  then,  riveted  as  it  were  to  the 
spot,  they  stood  steadfastly  looking  towards  heaven. 

A  cloud  received  him  out  of  their  sight. — This,  unquestiona- 
bly, was  an  escort  of  angels,  which,  assuming  the  appearance  of 
a  cloud  of  mild  celestial  radiance,  surrounded  the  ascending 
Redeemer,  and  joyfully  attended  him  on  his  way  to  glory.  In 
a  prophetick  passage  of  the  Ixviiith  Psalm,  which  in  the  New 
Testament  is  direcdy  referred  to  our  Saviour's  ascension,  it  is 
said.  The  chariots  of  God  are  ticenty  thousand,  even  thousand's 
of  angels  ;  the  Lord  is  among  them,  as  in  Sinai,  in  the  holy  place. 
Thou  hast  ascended  on  high,  thou  hast  led  captivity  captive ; 
thou  hast  received  gifts  for  men  ;  yea,  for  the  rebellious  also,  that 
the  Lord  God  might  dwell  among  them. — The  chariots  of  God 
are  twenty  thousand,  even  thousands  of  angels  ! — This  at 
onee  explains  what  we  are  to  understand  by  the  cloud,  which 
received  our  ascending  Lord ;  and  gives  us  a  glimpse  of  the 
glory  of  his  ascension. 

On  earth,  this  event  was  but  little  noticed,  and  was  attended 
with  little  pomp.  The  few  disciples,  who  were  present,  felt  the 
impression  of  the  scene  ;  but  by  all  the  world  besides,  it  was 
totally  unheeded.  It  was  otherwise,  my  brethren,  in  heaven. 
There,  the  event  was  recognized  in  all  its  importance,  and  cele- 
brated with  correspondent  demonstrations  of  joy,  and  displays  of 
glory.  Angels  knew  the  Son  of  God ; — knew  him  to  be  the 
brightness  of  the  Father'' s  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his 
person.     When  he  lay  in  the  manner,  they  descended  near  hire 


i04  SERMON   XXII. 

in  multitudes,  shouting  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest ;  on  earth 
peace  ;  good  will  towards  men  ;  and  seemed  all  engaged  to  rouse 
this  stupid  world  to  join  in  the  grateful  anthem.  While  he  en- 
dured the  contradiction  of  sinners  against  himself,  and  was  des- 
pised and  rejected  of  men,  they  gladly  attended,  on  various  occa- 
sions, to  do  him  divine  honours.  When  they  heheld  his  agony 
in  the  garden,  and  on  the  cross,  their  accustomed  joys  were  sus- 
pended, we  may  almost  suppose,  in  sorrowful  amazement. 
What  then  must  have  been  their  feelings,  when  they  saw  him 
rise  from  the  dead  ! — what,  when  they  had  notice  that  he  was 
about  to  ascend  to  the  right  hand  of  his  Father !  It  was  a  day 
of  triumphant  joy,  such  as  heaven  never  before  witnessed. 

No  sooner  was  he  parted  from  his  disciples,  than  he  was 
surrounded  with  myriads  of  the  heavenly  host ;  and  God  ivenf 
up  with  a  shout,  the  Lord  with  the  sound  of  a  trumpet.  As  he 
ascended,  they  chaunted  in  seraphick  symphony,  Sing  praises 
to  God,  sing  praises  ;  sing  praises  to  our  King,  sing  praises.— 
Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates,  and  be  ye  lifted  up,  ye  everlast- 
ing doors,  and  the  King  of  glory  shall  come  in.  The  song  is 
heard  on  the  battlements  of  heaven  ;  and  thence  the  demand  is 
made,  Who  is  the  King  of  glory  ?  The  response  of  the  ascend- 
ing retinue  is  given  in  loud  acclamation  :  The  Lord  strong  and 
mighty,  the  Lord  mighty  in  battle;  he  is  the  King  of  glory ! 
Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates,  and  be  ye  lifted  up,  ye  everlast- 
ing doors,  and  the  King  of  glory  shall  come  in.  The  gates  of 
heaven  are  opened ;  the  King  of  glory  enters  in  triumph  ;  he 
advances  through  opening  ranks  of  the  celestial  armies ;  and, 
welcomed  by  the  Father  with  ineffable  benignity,  he  sits  down 
on  the  throne.  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords.  The 
song  rises  and  swells.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to 
receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  glory, 
and  honour,  and  blessing.  The  redeemed  from  among  men 
take  the  lead ;  but  they  are  joined  by  all 

"  The  multitude  of  angels,  with  a  fhout, 
Loud  as  from  nuuibers  without  number,  sweet 
As  from  blest  voices  uttering  jov  ;  heaven  rings 
With  jubilee,  and  loud  liosunnns  fill 
The  eternal  regions," 


SERMON   XXII.  265 

The  scene,  my  brethren,  transcends  our  powers  of  concep- 
tion ;  but  the  day  is  coming,  when  we  shall  know  more  of  it 
than  we  can  now  conceive  : — For  this  same  Jesus  shall  so  come 
in  like  manner,  as  he  was  seen  to  go  into  heaven.     Let  us,  then, 

II.  Contemplate  the  purposes  for  which  he  thus  ascended. 

If  it  might  seem  to  be  merely  a  matter  of  course  that  the  Son 
of  God,  after  having  finished  the  work  for  which  he  came  down 
to  our  world,  should  return  to  heaven ;  it  was  not,  however,  a 
mere  matter  of  course,  that  the  Mediator  between  God  and  men, 
should  ascend  in  a  human  body,  and,  in  that  body,  sit  down  at 
the  right  hand  of  God.  This,  beyond  doubt,  was  a  highly  sig- 
nificant act,  and  the  ends  of  it  were  vastly  important. 

1 ,  One  purpose  was,  that  clear  and  striking  evidence  might 
be  given  to  the  universe,  of  the  acceptance  of  his  atonement  for 
sin. 

The  necessity  of  atonement  was  early  revealed  to  fallen  man. 
The  bleeding  sacrifices  of  the  first  ages  were  of  expiatory  signifi- 
cance ;  purporting  that  without  the  shedding  of  blood  there  could 
ie  no  remission  of  sins. — It  was  not  possible,  however,  that  the 
hlood  of  bulls  or  of  goats  should  take  away  sins  ;  it  could  only  be 
typical  of  the  blood  of  the  one  Mediator.  Wher(fore,  when  he 
eometh  into  the  world,  he  saith,  Sacrifice  and  offering  thou 
wouldest  not,  but  a  body  hast  thou  prepared  me  :  in  burnt  offer- 
ings and  sacrifices  for  sin  thou  hast  had  no  pleasure.  Then  said 
I,  Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  will,  O  God.  He  accordingly  came  j 
assumed  the  body  prepared  for  him  ;  ivas  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities  ;  and  made  his  soul 
an  offering  for  sin,  an  atoning  sacrifice  for  many. 

But  under  the  law,  when  the  sacrifice  was  slain,  the  high 
priest  entered  with  the  blood  into  the  most  holy  place,  and  pre- 
sented the  atonement  before  God.  So  Christ,  being  come  an 
High  Priest  of  good  things  to  come,  by  a  greater  and  more  perfect 
tabernacle  ; — neither,  by  the  blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but  by  his 
own  blood,  he  entered  in  once  into  the  holy  place,  having  obtain- 
ed eternal  redemption  for  us.  As  our  great  High  Priest,  it  be- 
hooved him  to  enter  into  the  most  holy  place  in  heaven,  there 

to  present  his  atonement  before  God.     This  he  accoidin^ly  (-id ; 
34 


2GG  SERMON   XXII. 

and  Ills  ascension,  in  his  body,  which  had  been  slain  ;  his  lii- 
umphant  entrance  into  heaven  ;  and  his  being  welcomed  by  the 
Father,  to  sit  down  at  the  right  hand  of  Majesty,  gave  to  the  uni- 
verse the  most  impressive  proof,  that  his  sacrifice  was  accepted  ; 
that  the  Father  was  weU  pleased  for  his  righteousness  salte,  be- 
cause he  had  mngnijied  the  law  and  made  it  honourable.  This 
proof  was  of  high  importance.  •  It  was  important,  that  all  heaven 
might  clearly  see  the  ground,  on  which  the  sins  of  penitent  men 
are  pardoned ;  and  especially  so,  that  men  might  have  the 
strongest  assurance  of  acceptance  with  God,  through  the  great 
sacrifice. 

2.  Another  purpose  of  Christ's  ascension  was,  that  he  might 
take  his  mediatorial  throne. 

The  Lord  hath  sworn,  and  will  not  repent.  Tliou  art  a 
priest  forever,  after  the  order  of  Melchizedec  ;  that  is,  at  once 
Priest  and  King.     The  government  shall  he  upon  his  shoulders  ; 

upon  the  throne  of  David,  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to 

order  it,  and  to  establish  it,  with  judgment  and  with  justice,  from 
henceforth  even  forever.  Such  were  the  declarations  of  ancient 
prophecy ;  and  these  declarations  were  sure.  Just  as  he  was 
about  to  ascend,  Jesus  said.  All  poiver  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven 
and  in  earth :  not  that  he  was  then  actually  invested  with  his 
royal  power ;  but  he  was  then  going  into  heaven  to  receive  the 
investiture.  At  the  same  time,  he  gave  to  his  apostles  the  high 
commission,  to  go  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature ;  but  directed  them  to  tarry  at  Jerusalem,  until  they 
should  receive  the  promised  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  That  was 
to  be  the  official  notice  to  them  of  his  actual  exaltation ;  that  was  to 
be  the  broad  seal  of  their  commission  ;  and  until  that  notice  was 
given,  until  that  seal  was  affixed,  they  were  not  to  go  forth  as  his 
ambassadors.  Accordingly  Peter,  in  his  address  to  the  people 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  said,  This  Jesus  hath  God  raised  up, 
whereof  we  are  ivitnesses.  Therefore  being  by  the  right  hand  of 
Gbd  exalted,  and  having  received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shed  forth  this  which  ye  now  see  and  hear. 
Therefore,  let  all  the  house  of  Israel  know  assuredly,  that  God  hath 
made  that  same  Jesus  whom  ye  crucified,   both  Lord  and  Christ. 


SERMON   XXII.  2G7 

The  scriptures,  indeed,  most  amply  testify,  that  Christ  as- 
cended from  earth  to  heaven,  for  the  purpose  of  being  crowned 
as  King  upon  the  holy  hill  of  Zion,  and  invested  with  all  power, 
that  he  might  govern  all  creatures,  and  order  all  events,  for  the 
accomplishment  of  his  great  work  of  salvation. 

3.  Another  purpose  of  his  ascension  was,  that  he  might  con- 
fer the  richest  blessings  on  mankind. 

It  was  for  the  good  of  mankind,  tiiat  he  was  exahed  to  the 
tlirone.  He  was  made  head  over  all  things  to  the  church. 
On  the  evening  before  his  death,  he  said  to  his  disciples.  It  is 
expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away — that  I  ascend  into  heaven  : — 
if  I  depart,  I  will  send  the  Comforter  unto  you. — Peter  says, 

Him  hath  God  exalted, to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour, 

for  to  give  repentance,  and  forgiveness  of  sins.  And  Paul,  quot- 
ing in  part  from  the  Ixviiith  Psalm  :  When  he  ascended  up  on 
high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and  gave  gifts  unto  men.  And  he 
gave  some,  apostles  ;  and  some,  prophets  ;  and  some,  evangelists  ^ 
and  some,  pastors  and  teachers  ;  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints, 
for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of 
Christ. 

The  truth  then  is  clear,  that  one  purpose  of  Christ's  ascen- 
sion was,  that  he  might  bestow  gifts  upon  men.  From  his 
throne  on  high,  he  sends  down  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  all  his  gra- 
cious influences,  to  convince,  to  enlighten,  to  renovate,  and  to 
sanctify  ;  to  raise  up,  from  the  corrupted  mass  of  human  ruins, 
a  new  and  glorious  creation.  As  King  in  Zion,  he  designates 
his  servants  for  particulai*  purposes,  and  sends  forth  his  ambassa- 
dors to  proclaim  his  gospel,  to  make  manifest  the  savour  of  his 
name,  to  spread  the  light  of  salvation,  and  to  beseech  men  to 
become  reconciled  to  God.  And  as  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour, 
through  the  administration  of  his  word  and  Spirit,  he  brings  men 
to  repentance,  seals  them  as  heirs  of  his  salvation,  and  fits  them 
for  his  kingdom  of  immortal  glory.  These  are  the  blessings 
which  he  ascended  to  confer  on  men.     Once  more*, 

4.  Christ  ascended  on  high,  that  he  might  appear  and  act  a  = 
advocate  and  intercessor  for  his  people. 


268  SERMON  XXII. 

He  is  a  priest  forever  J  after  the  order  of  Melchizedec.  While 
he  sils  as  King  on  the  holy  hill  of  Zion  ;  he  acts  also  as  High 
Priest  over  the  house  of  God.  For  this  purpose  he  is  gone  into 
the  heavens  for  us.  His  sacrifice,  as  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins,  was  graciously  accepted  ;  in  his  priestly  character  he  was 
admitted  to  the  presence  of  the  Father ;  and  there  he  ever  liveth 
to  make  intercession. 

Of  this,  my  brethren,  it  behooves  us  never  to  lose  sight ;  for, 
without  the  sacrifice  and  intercession  of  Christ,  we  could  have 
no  hope.  It  is  in  the  character  of  Priest,  that  he  receives  all 
the  gifts,  all  the  blessings,  which  as  King  he  bestows  on  sinful 
men.  It  is  for  what  he  has  done  in  his  priestly  office,  that  it 
hath  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  all  fulness  should  dwell ;  a 
fulness,  suited  to  the  various  necessities  of  mankind,  and  to  be 
dispensed,  in  his  sovereign  wisdom,  according  to  the  riches  of 
his  grace.  And  it  is  because  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession 
for  them,  that  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  who  come  unto 
God  by  him. 

REFLECTIONS. 

1.  The  subject  opens  to  us  a  pleasing  view  of  the  dignity 
and  glory  of  our  Redeemer. 

The  language  employed  by  tlie  sacred  writers,  in  reference 
to  his  ascension,  is  of  the  highest  character.  The  escort  of  an- 
gels, which  appeared  to  his  disciples  as  a  radiant  cloud,  is  resem- 
bled to  that  which  descended  upon  mount  Sinai ;  and  he  him- 
self, ascending  in  the  midst  of  them,  is  called  God,  and  Jehovah, 
and  proclaimed  the  King  of  glory.  The  chariots  of  God  are 
twenty  thousand,  even  thousands  of  angels  ;  Jehovah  is  among 
them,  as  in  Sinai,  in  the  holy  place. — God  is  gone  up  with  a 
shout,  Jehovah  with  the  sound  of  a  trumpet.  Sing  praises  to 
God,  sing  praises  ;  sing  praises  to  our  King,  sing  praises. — 
Who  is  this  King  of  glory  ?  Jehovah  strong  and  mighty  ;  Je- 
hovah mighty  in  battle.  In  the  New  Testament,  also.  He  who 
thus  gloriously  ascended,  is  acknowledged  and  praised,  as  Lord 
of  lords,  and  King  of  kings ;  and  all  the  hosts  of  heaven  are 
represented  as  worshipping  him.     Let  us,  then,  my  brethren, 


SERMON   XXII.  269 

iiumbly  and  gratefully  adore  his  divinity,  and  devoutly  honour 
the  Son,  even  as  we  honow  the  Father. 

2.  How  wonderful  and  glorious  are  our  divine  Redeemer's 
kindness  and  grace  ! 

It  was  love  which  brought  him  down  from  heaven,  to  suffer 
and  die  for  us.  Unspeakable  love  was  manifested  in  all  his  ac- 
tions and  words,  while  he  dwelt  among  us,  even  to  the  last. 
Just  as  he  was  leaving  our  world,  he  gave  direction  that  the 
blessings  of  his  gospel  should  be  extended  to  all  people  ;  at  the 
moment  he  was  parted  from  his  disciples,  he  was  in  the  act  of 
blessing  them  ;  he  ascended  on  high,  that  he  might  bestow  gifts 
on  men,  even  upon  the  rebellious,  for  their  eternal  salvation  j 
and  there  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  all  zvho  come 
unto  God  by  him.  Such,  my  brethren,  is  the  character  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  His  glory  is  that  of  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth  ;  and  as  he  died  on  earth,  so  he 
reigns  in  heaven,  for  the  good  of  sinful,  ungrateful  men. 

3.  All  who  believe  in  Jesus  have  reasons  for  the  firmest  con- 
fidence, the  highest  hopes,  and  the  best -consolations. 

The  gospel,  my  brethren,  is  not  a  cunningly  devised  fable. 
It  is  not  a  false,  or  an  idle  report,  that  the  Son  of  God  died  and 
rose  again  for  the  salvation  of  men.  The  truth  is  proclaimed 
from  the  highest  heavens  ;  it  was  celebrated  with  the  most  august 
solemnities  that  angels  ever  witnessed ;  and  it  has  been  confirm- 
ed to  men  by  the  broad  seal  of  the  Eternal,  and  by  many  infalli- 
ble proofs.  Yes,  and  he  who  died  and  rose  again  now  sits  on 
the  right  hand  of  Majesty,  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour.  In  him  all 
fulness  dwells.  He  shall  come  down  like  rain  upon  the  mown 
grass,  like  showers  that  water  the  earth.  His  name  shall  endure 
as  long  as  the  sun  ;  men  shall  be  blessed  in  him  ;  all  nations  shall 
call  him  blessed.  The  world  is  in  his  hand  ;  all  nations  are  sub- 
ject to  his  control ;  and  he  knows  how  to  order  the  events  of 
successive  generations,  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  purposes, 
and  to  make  all  things,  even  the  wrath  of  man,  to  pi-aise  him. — 
He  is,  also,  a  Priest  forever.  His  sacrifice  is  accepted  in  heaven  ; 
there  is  full  redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness 
of  sins  ;    and  he  is  able  to  save  them  to   the  nttrrniost  that  come 


270  SERMON  XXII. 

unto  God  by  him,  however  helpless  in  themselves,  however  greaf 
their  sins. 

Brethren,  what  more  could  we  have  ?  Such  an  High  Priest 
became  us  ;  and  in  such  a  Prince  and  Saviour  we  may  surely 
confide.  Are  we  personally  corrupt,  sinful,  guilty  before  God, 
vile  in  his  sight,  and  utterly  without  strength  in  ourselves,  for 
recovery  to  holiness,  to  the  lost  image  of  our  Maker,  to  life  and 
immortality  ?  Jesus  Christ  has  been  delivered  for  our  offences^ 
and  raised  again  for  our  justlf  cation  ;  has  ascended  on  high, 
and  sit  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  a  Prince  and  a 
Saviour,  to  give  repentance  and  remission  of  sins,  and  bestow  all 
needed  grace  for  the  complete  salvation  of  all  who  trust  in  him. 
Are  we  encompassed  with  infirmities,  beset  with  temptations, 
borne  down  with  afflictions  ?  Jesus  Christ  is  a  merciful  and 
faithful  High  Priest ;  he  knows  and  feels  all  that  his  people 
suffer  ;  he  has  the  same  tender  and  gracious  care  for  them  all, 
which  he  manifested  for  his  disciples  before  his  ascension  ;  and 
he  is  able  to  do  for  us  abundantly  above  all  that  we  can  ask  or 
think.  Are  the  breaches  of  Zion  many,  her  waste  places  and 
desolations  extended  and  afiecting,  and  her  comforters  and  helpers 
few  and  feeble  ?  Her  Redeemer  and  King  is  the  Lord  strong 
and  mighty  ;  he  has  purchased  her  with  his  own  blood  ;  he  loves 
her  better  than  do  any  of  her  sons  or  her  daughters,  who  are 
mourning  for  her ;  he  is  made  head  over  all  things  to  her,  and 
his  promises  to  her  are  as  sure  as  they  are  ample.  Is  the  world 
still  lying  in  wickedness,  and  are  thousands  and  millions  of  our 
race  sitting  in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death  ?  Our  great 
High  Priest,  who  has  passed  into  the  heavens  for  us,  is  the  pro- 
pitiation for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world;  the  heathen  are  given 
to  him  for  his  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for 
his  possession;  and  the  word  is  sure,  l\mt  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth  shall  remember  and  turn  unto  him,  and  all  the  kindreds  of 
the  nations  shall  ivorship  before  him.     He  shall  see  his  seed ; 

and  the  pleasure  of  Jehovah  shall  prosper  in  his  hand. 

He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied  ;  and 
fif  the  increase  of  his  government  and  peace  there  shall  be  no  end. 


SERMON   XXII.  271 

In  a  word,  Christ  is  all  in  all ;  and  in  him,  therefore,  his  people 
may  at  all  times  confide,  in  the  full  assurance  of  hope.     But, 

Finally,  Hoiv  shall  ive  escape^  ifioe  neglect  so  great  salvation  ? 

He,  who  has  ascended  up  on  high,  and  now  reigns  as  King 
upon  his  holy  hill  of  Z ion,  scarcheth  all  hearts,  and  undcrstandetk 
all  the  imaginations  of  the  thoughts.  If  you  seek  him,  he  uill  he 
found  of  you  ;  but  if  you  forsake  him,  he  tvillcast  you  off  for  ever. 
And  it  is  never  to  be  forgotten,  that  this  same  Jesus  shall  ere  long 
so  come  as  he  was  seen  to  go  into  heaven.  Lo,  he  cometh  in  the 
clouds,  and  every  eye  shall  see  him  !  He  shall  be  revealed  from, 
heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance 
on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel ;  who 
shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power  ;  when  he  shall 
come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them, 
that  believe  !  May  every  one  who  hears  me,  be  obedient  to  his 
gospel ;  and  be  prepared  to  meet  him  with  joy  at  that  dav.-^ 
Amen. 


SERMON    XXIIL 


MATURE   OF  REPENTANCE. 


Jeremiah  xxxi.  18,  19. 

/  have  surely  heard  Ephraim  bemoaning  himself  thus  ;  Thou  hast  chas- 
tised 7/ie,  and  I  was  chastised.,  as  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to  the  yoke. 
Turn  thou  7«e,  atid  I  shall  be  turned  ;  for  thou  art  the  Lord  my  God. 
Surely.,  after  that  I  was  turned,  I  repented  ;  and  after  that  1  was  in- 
structed., I  smote  upon  my  thigh  ;  I  was  ashamed,  yea,  even  con- 
founded, because  I  did  bear  the  reproach  of  my  youth. 

JIN  this  chapter,  and  the  one  next  preceding,  we  have  a  very 
descriptive  and  interesting  prophecy  of  the  blessings  to  be  con- 
ferred upon  the  whole  house  of  Israel,  in  the  latter  days.  Thus 
speaketh  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  saying,  Write  thee  all  the 
words  that  I  have  spoken  unto  thee,  in  a  book.  For,  lo,  the  days 
come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  bring  again  the  captivity  of  my 
people  Israel  and  Judah  ;  and  I  will  cause  them  to  return  to  the 
land  that  I  gave  unto  their  fathers,  and  they  shall  possess  it. 
Such  is  the  introduction  of  the  prophecy  ;  and,  as  it  proceeds, 
very  impressive  views  are  given,  of  the  signal,  the  long,  and  most 
calamitous  dispersion  of  the  nation,  including  Ephraim  and  Judah, 
among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  ;  of  the  justice  of  God,  in 
bringing  all  this  evil  upon  them  for  their  sins  ;  and  of  the  guilty 
stubbornness  manifested  by  them,  under  his  righteous  judgments. 
In  the  immediate  context,  Rachel,   tlie  mother  of  Joseph  and 


SERMON  XXIII.  273 

Benjamin,  is  introduced,  by  a  bold  and  sinking  figure,  as  loudly 
lamenting  at  Ramah,  the  place  of  her  burial,  for  her  children,  as 
if  they  were  utterly  lost.  But  to  her  the  Lord  speaks  consolation. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Refrain  thy  voice  from  weejjing,  and  thine 
eyes  from  tears  ;  for  thy  work  shall  be  rewarded,  saith  the  Lord  ; 
and  they  shall  come  again  from  the  land  of  the  enemy.  And  there 
is  hope  in  thine  end,  saith  the  Lord,  that  thy  children  shall  come 
again  to  their  oivn  border.  In  this  connection,  the  words  of  the 
text  are  introduced,  expressing,  in  a  very  lively  and  impressive 
manner,  the  dispositions  and  views,  with  which  the  children  of 
Rachel,  of  whom  Ephraim  is  the  representative,  should  return  to 
their  land,  and  to  their  God.  /  have  surely  heard  Ephraim  be- 
moaning himself  thus  ;  Thou  hast  chastised  me,  and  I  was  chas- 
tised, as  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to  the  yoke.  Turn  thou  mc, 
and  I  shall  be  turned  ;  for  thou  art  the  Lord  my  God.  Surely, 
after  that  I  was  turned,  I  repented  ;  and  after  I  was  instructed, 
I  smote  upon  my  thigh :  I  was  ashamed,  yea,  even  confounded, 
because  I  did  bear  the  reproach  of  my  youth. 

Ephraim  is  here  represented  as  "  looking  back,  and  recollect- 
ing with  grief  and  shame,"  his  former  stubborn,  refractory,  and 
rebellious  disposition  and  conduct.  Deeply  convinced  of  his 
need  of  renewing  and  converting  grace,  he  earnestly  addresses 
himself  to  God,  saying.  Turn  tkou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned; 
humbly,  at  the  same  time,  acknowledging  the  Lord  as  his  God. 
Touched  with  renewing  grace,  he  is  overwhelmed  with  a  view 
of  his  guilt;  is  filled  with  self-abhorrence,  and  with  holy  indigna- 
tion against  his  sins  ;  and  is  ashamed  and  confounded  before 
God,  on  account  of  his  vileness,  and  the  ignominy -and  reproach, 
which  he  had  so  foolishly  and  so  wickedly  brought  upon  himself. 

We  have  here,  my  brethren,  a  very  striking  and  instructive 
view  of  a  real  penitent ;  and  my  present  design  is  to  show,  in 
several  particulars,  the  nature  of  true  repentance. 

Repentance,  according  to  the  natural  import  of  the  word 
denotes  a  change  ;  a  change  of  mind,  of  heart,  and  of  conduct ; 
a  change,  consisting  in  new  views,  feelings,  affections,  pleasures, 
and  actions.  Let  us,  then,  consider  several  things,  comprisod 
in  this  general  view  of  the  subject. 
35 


274  SERMON  XXlll. 

I.  In  repentance,  persons  are  brought  to  a  very  different 
view  of  themselves,  of  their  temper  and  conduct,  from  what  they 
had  been  accustomed  to  entertain. 

Ephraim,  before  repentance,  while  suffering  under  the  hand 
of  God,  is  llk-e  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to  the  yoke.  He  has  no 
such  views  of  himself,  or  of  his  sinfulness,  as  prepare  him  to  see 
the  justice  of  God  in  the  calamities  brought  upon  him,  and  is, 
therefore,  impatient,  refractory,  and  even  outrageous.  But, 
when  brought  to  repentance,  he  sees  his  sinfulness,  and  is  still. 
It  is  thus  in  every  instance  of  true  repentance. 

The  sinner,  while  impenitent,  is  grossly  ignorant  of  himself, 
and  of  divine  things ;  and  is  under  the  influence  of  false  and 
corrupt  principles,  or,  at  least,  holds  the  truth  in  unrighteousness. 
Perverted  by  the  reigning  corruptions  of  his  heart,  prejudiced 
by  wrong  opinions,  and  accustomed  to  view  things  in  the  false 
lights  in  which  his  evil  propensities  and  passions  present  them, 
he  judges  erroneously  respecting  himself,  his  temper,  and  his 
conduct ;  respecting  the  character  and  the  law  of  God ;  and 
respecting  the  truths  and  the  grace  of  the  gospel ;  and,  therefore, 
does  not  see  himself  to  be  in  that  awfully  sinful,  condemned, 
and  lost  state,  in  which  he  really  is.  But,  when  he  is  brought 
to  repentance,  his  views,  in  this  respect,  are  altogether  changed. 
The  darkness  of  his  mind  is  dissipated,  his  prejudices  are  re- 
moved, and  he  sees  things  in  a  true  light.  His  sins  appear  to 
him  infinitely  great  in  number  and  in  guilt ;  most  detestable  in 
their  nature,  destructive  in  their  tendency,  and  rendering  him 
justly  obnoxious  to  the  severest  punishment.  Seeing  sin  to  be, 
directly  against  the  authority,  the  government,  and  the  glory  of 
God,  forbidden  by  his  law,  conU'ary  to  his  rectitude,  and  sub- 
versive of  the  order  and  happiness  which  all  his  perfections  are 
engaged  to  promote,  the  penitent  views  it  as  an  infinitely  evil 
and  bitter  thing.  He  sees  it  to  he  infinitely  evil  and  bitter,  in 
its  influence  and  effects  upon  himself;  as  it  has  debased  his  na- 
ture, corrupted  his  mind,  disordered  and  perverted  his  affections  ; 
enslaved  him  to  the  most  unworthy  and  mischievous  passions  ; 
induced  upon  him  vicious  and  criminal  habits  ;  rendered  him 
incapable  of  pure  enjoyments,  wise  actions,  and  noble  pursuits; 


SERMON   XXIII.  275 

alienated  him  from  God,  made  him  averse  to  his  service,  and 
unfitted  him,  entirely,  for  his  holy  presence  and  kingdom.  He 
sees  it,  also,  to  be  infinitely  unreasonable  and  criminal,  in  its 
treatment  of  God ;  in  the  dishonour  which  it  has  done  to  his 
iioly  name,  in  its  refusal  of  his  grace,  in  its  contempt  of  his  salva- 
tion, in  its  grievous  resistance  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  its  op- 
position to  the  calls  of  his  mercy,  and  all  the  motives  and  per- 
suasions to  obedience,  presented  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ.  In  this  view  of  things,  he  is  convinced  that  sin  is  the 
great  comprehensive  evil,  which  includes  in  it  every  thing  base 
and  vile  ;  every  thing  mischievous  and  destructive  ;  every  thing 
odious  and  detestable. 

What,  then,  is  the  judgment,  which  he  must  pass  upon  him- 
self.'' When  he  calls  himself  to  the  tribunal  of  his  own  conscience, 
and  allows  this  inward  judge  to  award  an  unbiassed  sentence, 
how  readily  must  he  submit  to  one,  which  pronounces  him  most 
guilty  and  ill-deserving  ?  How  readily  must  he  condemn  him- 
self, for  his  disobedience,  ingratitude,  and  irreverence  to  God  ? 
For  his  rejection,  abuse,  and  contempt  of  the  Saviour  ?  For 
neglecting  his  best  interest;  sacrificing  the  peace  and  the  pleas- 
ures of  a  good  conscience,  for  the  transient  gratifications  oi  cor- 
rupt inclinations  and  passions  ;  and  bartering  away  all  die  lair 
prospects  of  the  eternal  world,  for  a  mere  empty  shadow  of 
good, — for  enjoyments,  not  merely  transitory,  but  most  criminal 
and  destructive  ?  In  fine,  for  the  obstinacy  and  perverseness,  the 
stupidity  and  presumption,  of  the  whole  former  course  of  his 
life  f — Yes,  the  true  penitent  sees  and  confesses  his  sin  ;  sees 
that  he  has  destroyed  himself,  incurred  the  righteous  displeasure 
of  God,  and  exposed  himself  to  all  the  threatenings  and  punish- 
ments uttered  against  transgressors,  and  reserved  for  all  the 
finally  impenitent,  in  the  future  world. — Hence, 

II.  In  true  repentance,  there  is  always  a  tender  grief  and 
sorrow. 

The  true  penitent  experiences,  not  only  a  change  in  his 
views,  but,  also,  a  change  in  his  feelings.  He  not  only  sees,  but 
he  feels,  that  he  has  done  wickedly ;  not  only  sees,  but  feels, 
that  he  has  sinned  against  a  God  of  infinite  perfection  and  glory, 


27G  SERMON  XXIIl. 

broken  a  law  perfectly  holy  and  good,  and  abused  a  Saviour  in- 
finitely worthy  of  his  love  and  his  trust ;  not  only  sees,  but  feels, 
that  he  is  guilty  of  the  most  unreasonable  rebellion,  the  most 
heinous  ingratitude,  the  most  criminal  obstinacy,  the  most  des- 
perate folly  and  madness.  Accordingly,  in  our  text,  Ephraim 
is  represented  as  bemoaning  himself,  and  saying.  Surely,  after 
that  1  ivas  turned,  I  repented  ;  and  after  that  1  teas  instructed, 
I  smote  upon  my  thigh; — smote  upon  my  thigh,  in  the  grief  and 
anguish  of  my  heart.  Paul,  also,  speaks  of  so7T07ving  to  repent- 
ance, after  a  godly  manner  ;  or,  as  the  literal  rendering  of  the 
words  would  be,  with  a  sorroiv  according  to  God  ;  with  a  sor- 
row, which  God  requires,  approves,  and  will  accept ;  a  sorrow, 
arising  from  a  sense  of  having  offended  and  dishonoured  him, 
forfeited  his  favour,  and  incurred  his  holy  displeasure.  Such  a 
sorrow  is  the  natural  result  of  that  change  of  mind  and  of  heart, 
which  repentance  imports.  In  a  just  view  of  sin,  as  an  offence 
against  God,  the  true  penitent  would  be  filled  with  grief,  even 
had  he  been  guilty  of  but  a  single  transgression.  How  deep, 
then,  must  his  sorrow  be,  when  he  views  himself  as  having  all 
his  days,  hitherto,  lived  in  sin,  as  having  multiplied  his  iniquities 
beyond  all  reckoning,  as  having  sinned  under  circumstances  ex- 
ceedingly to  aggravate  his  guilt,  and  as  having  obstinately  oppos- 
ed the  most  affecting  means  and  motives  employed  to  reclaim 
and  to  recover  him  ^  Thus  Job,  when  brought  to  a  right  view  of 
liimself,  and  of  God,  cries  out,  in  the  bursting  grief  of  his  heart, 
I  repent  in  dust  and  ashes.  With  the  most  submissive  sorrow, 
he  stood  convicted  of  his  sinfulness,  and  declared  his  deep  and 
unfeigned  repentance. 

III.  In  true  repentance,  there  is,  also,  a  conscious  shame, 
an  inward  confusion,  a  deep  self-abhorrence,  and  even  indig- 
nation. 

In  the  chapter  of  our  text,  the  impenitent  Jews  are  reproach- 
ed with  their  hardness  and  impudence,  because  they  had  pro- 
ceeded in  sin,  beyond  all  sense  of  shame.  Thou  refusest  to  he 
ashamed.  When  it  comes  to  this  with  sinners,  that  tliey  can 
commit  their  excesses,  and  even  reflect  upon  them  afterwards, 
without  shame,  with  a  steady  countenance,  and  an  unmoved 


SERMON   XXIII.  277 

heart,  tliey  are  far  gone,  indeed,  in  oljdurate  wickedness.  In 
this  respect,  it  is  tar  otiierwise  with  the  true  penitent.  I  repent- 
ed, says  Ephraini ;  I  smote  upon  my  ihigh;  I  was  ashamed,  yea 
even  eonfounded.  Or,  as  it  is  expressed  in  the  third  chapter  of 
this  prophecy,  IVe  lie  down  in  our  shame,  and  our  confusion 
covereth  us  ;  fur  we  have  sinned  against  the  Lord  our  God. 
The  pubhcan,  at  the  temple,  stood  afar  off,  and  ivould  not  so 
much  as  lift  up  his  eyes  towards  heaven;  but  smote  upon  his 
breast.  Indeed,  there  is  such  an  inherent  turpitude  in  sin,  thai 
there  is  no  other  object  so  vile  in  its  nature,  so  really  dishonour- 
able, so  worthy  of  shame.  It  spreads  contagion,  wherever  it  is 
harboured,  and  pollutes  every  thing  which  it  touches.  Nothing 
is  a  real  dishonour  to  a  })erson,  without  sin  ;  nothing  obtained  by 
means  of  sin  is  an  honour.  No  wonder,  then,  that  the  true 
penitent,  being  brought  to  view  sin  as  it  is,  and  to  have  a  proper 
sense  of  himself  as  a  sinner,  should  be  ready  to  say,  with  Ezra, 
O  my  God,  I  am  ashamed  and  blush  to  lift  up  my  face  to  thee, 
my  God  ;  or  wiili  Job,  Behold,  I  am  vile,  what  shall  I  answer 
thee  9  /  will  lay  mine^  hand  upon  my  mouth. 

The  true  penitent  not  only  feels  ashamed  and  confounded 
before  God  ;  but  he  loathes  and  abhors  himself.  Says  Job,  / 
Aflre  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  eqr  ;  but  now  mine  eye 
seeth  thee  ;  icherefore,  I  abhor  myself.  Then  shall  ye  remember 
your  own  evil  ways,  and  your  doings  which  were  not  good,  said 
JeiiOVcih  lo  the  people  of  Israel,  to  whom  he  had  promised  to 
give  r«^j)cntance ;  and  ye  shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own 
sight,  for  your  ini<juities,  and  for  your  abominations.  And  who 
that  has  a  just  view  of  himself,  as  a  sinner  before  God,  a  just 
view  of  his  depraved  heart,  and  bis  sinful  life,  can  do  otherwise 
than  abhor  himself .''  Is  it  possible  for  any  one,  who  vievvs  moral 
objects  and  characters  in  a  true  light,  to  be  conscious  of  his  moral 
depravity,  conscious  tbat  he  has  been  long  the  slave  of  vile  ap- 
petites and  passions,  and  devoted  to  the  low,  debasing,  brutal 
pursuits  of  a  mere  sensitive  life,  offending  his  God  j  injuring  his 
neighbour,  neglecting  his  own  true  honour,  dignity,  and  happi- 
ness, and  even  destroying  himself — is  it  possible,  I   say,  for  any 


278  SERMON  XXm. 

one  lo  have  a  clear,  a  just,  an  habitual  conviction  of  all  this, 
without  deep  self-loathing  and  self-abhorrence  ? 

True  repentance  goes  still  further.  It  goes  to  a  holy  resent- 
ment and  indignation.  Something  of  this  is  clearly  discernible, 
in  the  strong  exi^ressions  of  Ephraim,  in  our  text.  And  why 
should  it  not  be  so  ?  Is  sin  detestable  in  its  nature  ?  Has  the 
sinner  acted  a  part,  which  is  most  base,  criminal,  and  injurious  ? 
Why,  then,  should  he  not  feel  an  indignation  against  his  own 
folly  and  madness  ;  an  indignation  against  himself.''  How  just 
and  natural,  in  this  view,  is  the  representation  given  by  the  apos- 
tle of  the  repentance  of  the  Corinthians.  For  behold  this  self- 
same thing,  that  ye  sorrowed  after  a  godly  sort,  what  carefulness 

it  icroiight  in  you, yea,  what  indignation,  yea,  what  fear, 

or  jealousy  over  yourselves,  yea,  what  vehement  desire,  yea,  what 
revenge!  Yes,  my  brethren,  the  penitent  should  feel  all  this  ; 
we  ought,  all  of  us,  to  feel  all  this.  This  holy  indignation,  this 
holy  revenge,  is  a  most  important  part  of  repentance.  No  other 
kind  of  revenge  should  ever  have  place,  for  a  moment,  in  our 
breasts ;  this  should  never  be  absent  from  them.  Revenge  upon 
ourselves,  that  is,  upon  our  corrupt  propensities,  affections,  pas- 
sions, and  habits,  which  have  betrayed  us  into  ruin,  into  the 
deepest  disgrace  and  wretchedness  ;  that  revenge,  which  con- 
sists in  an  eternal  hatred  of  them,  a  constant  opposition  to  them, 
a  daily  mortification  and  crucifixion  of  them,  and  a  fixed  reso- 
lution, in  the  strength  of  divine  grace,  utterly  to  destroy  and  ex- 
tirpate them  from  our  breasts.  This  is  a  revenge,  which  love  to 
our  God  and  Saviour  demands,  which  the  principles  of  religion 
justify,  and  which  mercy  to  ourselves  and  otliers  absolutely  re- 
quires. These  inward  enemies,  these  invaders  of  our  honour, 
these  disturbers  of  our  peace,  these  destroyers  of  our  happiness, 
these  rebels  against  our  God,  these  crucifiers  of  our  Saviour, 
should  have  no  compassion,  no  mercy,  no  indulgence  shown 
them.  They  have  ruined  us,  and  we  should  resolve  to  ruin 
them.  We  should  make  no  terms,  we  should  enter  into  no  com- 
promise with  them.  They  are  treacherous  foes,  in  perpetual 
combination  to  undo  us.  When  they  smile  and  flatter,  it  is  only 
that  they  may  deceive  and  betray.     Not  one  of  them  should  be 


SERMON  XXIIT.  itn 

spared.  They  should  all  be  doomed  to  be  slain  ;  to  be  nailed 
perpetually  to  the  cross. 

IV.  True  repentance  goes  to  a  great  and  permanent  change 
in  outward  life. 

This  change  is  more  visible,  indeed,  in  some  than  in  others ; 
more  visible  in  those  who  have  been  openly  vicious,  than  in  those 
whose  general  conduct  has  been  regular  and  moral ;  yet  a  change 
there  certainly  will  be  in  the  life,  the  deportment,  and  the  con- 
versation, of  every  true  penitent.  This  must  be  the  necessary 
consequence  of  the  change  of  mind  and  of  heart,  which  has  been 
described.  To  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  who  attended 
upon  his  ministry,  John,  with  great  emphasis,  said,  Bring  forth, 
therefore,  fruits  meet  for  repentance.  And  Paul  told  Agrippa, 
that  in  obedience  to  the  heavenly  vision,  he  had  shoived  unto 
them  of  Damascus,  and  at  Jerusalem,  and  throughout  all  the 
coasts  ofJudea,  and  to  the  Gentiles,  that  they  should  repent,  and 
turn  to  God,  and  do  works  meet  for  repentance.  Repent, 
said  God  to  Israel,  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  Repent,  and  turn 
from  your  idols,  and  turn  away  your  faces  from  all  your  abomi- 
nations ;  plainly  intimating,  that  no  other  kind  of  repentance 
would  be  available  for  them,  or  acceptable  to  him.  As  all  sin  is 
offensive  to  God,  and  injurious  to  the  souls  of  men,  the  turning 
from  sin  must  be  entire  and  universal ;  not  only  from  particular 
crimes  and  evil  courses,  which  will  cost  no  sacrifice  of  selfish 
principles  and  lusts ;  but  even  from  those  for  which  there  have 
been  the  strongest  propensities,  and  in  which  there  has  been  the 
greatest  pleasure.  Cast  away  from  you  all  your  transgressions, 
whereby  ye  have  transgressed,  says  Jehovah.  Indeed,  there  cau 
be  no  greater  mistake,  than  to  imagine  that  true  repentance, 
such  as  God  requires,  is  consistent  with  the  love  and  practice  of 
any  wilful  sin  ;  or  does  not  go  to  a  renunciation  ol  all  the  vani- 
ties of  our  former  corrupt  and  evil  conversation,  and  of  every 
false  way.  If  our  repentance  goes  no  further  than  to  some  con- 
fession of  our  mouths,  some  expressions  of  sorrow',  and  some 
feeble  and  wavering  resolutions  to  reform,  whilst  we  still  con- 
tinue in  the  practice  of  sin  ;  or  to  the  turning  from  some  par- 
ticular  evil   courses,    v.'hilst  we   allow   ourselves  habitually   io 


2&0  SERMON   XXIII. 

others;  we  are  certainly,  in  the  nature  of  the  thing,  in  the  judg- 
ment ofsfripture  and  of  conscience,  and  in  tiie  view  of  reason 
and  of  God,  still  obstinately  impenitent ;  ai»d  there  can  be  no 
clearer  proof  that  our  repentance  is  defective,  in  both  the  essen- 
tial parts,  the  change  of  heart,  and  the  change  of  life.  If  the 
tree  is  known  by  its  fruits,  if  the  issues  or  courses  of  men's  lives 
proceed  from  the  heart ;  there  surely  can  be  no  more  demon- 
strative proof  that  the  heart  is  not  changed,  than  that  the  life  is 
not  mended ;  and  you  may  as  certainly  conclude,  from  a  man's 
continuing  habitually  to  practice  his  former  sins,  that  his  heart  is 
still  corrupt,  as  you  may  judge  of  a  bodily  disease  by  its  con- 
stant symptoms,  or  conclude  that  a  fountain  is  bitter,  which  is 
eontinually  sending  forth  bitter  and  unwholesome  waters. 

But  the  change  of  life,  to  which  true   repentance  goes,  in- 
cludes not  only  the  renunciation  of  sin,   but  the  practice  also  of 
virtue,  and  true  holiness.     The  repentance,  which  the  scriptures 
inculcate,  is  a  repentance  towards  god  ;  a  repentance,   which 
brings  men  to  God.     The  doctrine  which  the  apostles  preached 
was,  that  men  should  repent,  and  turn  to  god.     The  great  evil 
of  sin  consists  in  its  alienating  the  heart  from  God,  and  engaging 
the  sinner  in  a  course  of  opposition   to  his  authority  and  will. 
For  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  ;  for  it  is  not  subject 
to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.     So  long  as  the  carnal 
mind  reigns,   God  and  his  law  are  contemned ;  and  the  sensual 
and  selfish  affections,  appetites,   and  passions,  are  set  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  dictates  of  conscience,   and  the  restraints  of  religion. 
The  return  to  God,  therefore,  which  is  included  in  true  repent- 
ance, primarily  consists  in  a  real  and  thorough  reconciliation  of 
the  heart  to  him,  as  our  rightful  and  holy  Proprietor  and  Sove- 
reign, and  as  the  object  of  our   supreme  affection   and  regard. 
Then,  as  the  consequence  of  this  reconciliation,   the  true  peni- 
tent, in  the  genuine  spirit  of  unfeigned  allegiance  and  love,  yields 
himself  obediently  to  the  law,  and  devotes  himself  sincerely  to 
the  service  and  glory  of  God.     Delighting  in  the  law  of  God  as 
a  perfect  rule  of  hfe,  he  will  be  sacredly  observant  of  all  the  ob- 
ligations of  piety  and  virtue,  and  exercise  himself /o  have  always 
a  conscience  void  of  offence,  both  towards  God,  and  towards  men. 


SERMON   XXm.  281 

Such,  my  brethren,  is  the  nature  of  true  repentance,  as 
represented  in  the  scriptures  ;  and  to  this  view  of  it,  1  am  per- 
suaded, every  conscience  must  assent.  Such  a  change  of  mind, 
of  heart,  and  of  life,  as  has  now  been  described,  must  be  ac- 
knowledged to  be  most  reasonable  and  necessary  for  every  sin- 
ner ;  and,  therefore,  for  all  mankind ;  for  all  have  sinned.  If 
there  were  among  us  a  person  who  had  never  committed  but  a 
single  sin  against  God,  even  that  person  would  have  reason  for 
the  sense  of  guilt,  the  tender  sorrow  and  contrition,  the  self- 
condemnation,  the  self-abhorrence,  the  holy  indignation,  the 
hearty  submission  to  the  sovereignty  of  God,  and  the  earnest 
desire  henceforth  to  cleave  unto  him,  which  have  been  repre- 
sented as  included  in  true  repentance.  But,  alas  !  where  Is  that 
person  to  be  found  f  Where  is  the  person  who  has  sinned  no 
more  than  once,  against  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth  ?  Where 
is  the  person,  whose  sins  are  not  more  in  number  than  any  mor- 
tal can  reckon  ?  Where  is  the  person,  whose  heart  has  not  been 
totally  ahenated  from  God,  and  whose  life  has  not  been  marked 
with  continual  transgressions  ?  If,  then,  for  a  single  offence,  it 
would  behoove  us  to  exercise  deep  repentance  before  God,  how 
deep  ought  to  be  the  repentance  of  every  one  of  us,  for  our  un- 
numbered offences,  and  how  important  that  this  repentance  be 
not  delayed  ! 

Clear  as  it  is,  however,  that  all  the  views  and  feelings,  now 
described,  must  be  included  in  true  repentance,  it  is  not  to  be 
doubted  that,  in  some  who  are  truly  penitent,  these  views  and 
feelings  are  much  less  strong,  and  less  distinctly  marked,  than  in 
others.  In  some,  the  work  of  divine  grace  proceeds  in  a  man- 
ner not  to  produce  very  strong  emotions.  But,  though  there  are 
diversities  of  operations,  it  is  the  same  Spirit ;  and  the  change, 
though  differing  in  its  circumstances  in  different  persons,  is, 
nevertheless,  in  its  nature,  the  same  in  all  true  penitents.  Every 
genuine  penitent  has,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  j.ust  views  of 
God  and  of  his  law,  of  Christ  and  of  his  grace,  of  himself  and  of 
sin ;  and  right  feelings  of  heart  towards  these  and  all  other  ob- 
jects. Every  person,  who  is  a  subject  of  true  repentance,  views 
God  as  a  being  infinitely  perfect  and  glorious,  and  himself  as 
30 


282  SERMON  XXIII. 

exceedingly  binful  and  vile  ;  views  the  law  of  God  as  holy,  just, 
and  good,  and  sin,  which  is  a  transgression  of  the  law,  as  utterly 
unreasonable,  malignant,  and  detestable ;  views  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  worthy  of  all  his  homage  and  trust,  and  the  way  of 
salvation  by  him  as  infinitely  gracious  and  excellent ;  and,  ac- 
cordingly, abhors  his  sinful  self,  and  loves  God  with  supreme 
affection  ;  hates  eveiy  false  way,  and  delights  in  the  divine  pre- 
cepts ;  renounces  all  dependence  on  his  own  merits,  and  trusts 
alone  in  the  merits  of  Christ,  for  justification  unto  life ;  and 
makes  it  his  steady  purpose  to  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly 
lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  and  righteously,  and  godly  in  the 
loorld. 

Let  us  all,  then,  bring  ourselves  faithfully  to  the  test.  Let 
the  penitent  deeply  feel  how  much  it  behooves  them  to  do  worhs 
meet  for  repentance.  Let  sinners  in  Zion  be  afraid,  and  fear- 
fulness  surprise  the  hypocrites.  And  let  the  ivicked,  of  whatever 
description, /or5aA:e  his  way,  and  turn  from  the  evil  of  his  doings, 
before  iniquity  prove  his  ruin,  and  he  find  himself  lost  and  mis- 
erable for  eternity. 


SERMON    XXIV 


IMPORTANCE  OF  REPENTANCE. 


Mark  vi.  12. 
And  they  went  out,  and  preached  that  men  should  repent. 

M.N  every  age  of  the  world,  Jehovah  has  been  employing  means 
with  mankind,  to  engage  their  attention  to  their  duty  and  to  their 
true  happiness.  He  has  bowed  from  the  throne  of  heaven  to 
address  them  ;  has  raised  up  prophets  to  deliver  his  messages  to 
them  ;  has  sent  his  Son  to  show  them  his  truth  and  grace,  and 
to  set  before  them,  in  the  most  affecting  hght,  their  lost  condi- 
tion, and  the  only  way  of  recovery  ;  and,  by  Apostles  and  Minis- 
ters, under  the  commission  of  the  Saviour,  together  with  his 
written  word,  he  has  continued  his  warnings  and  instructions 
even  to  this  day.  But,  alas  !  how  little,  in  general,  do  men  at- 
tend to  these  warnings  and  instructions  of  infinite  wisdom  and 
goodness ;  and  notwithstanding  all  that  God  has  done,  and  is 
still  doing,  to  engage  their  attention,  how  little  concern  do  they 
show,  respecting  their  eternal  salvation  !  Who  can  reflect  on  this 
subject,  and  not  be  struck,  on  the  one  hand,  with  the  conde- 
scension, the  mercy,  and  the  forbearance  of  God,  and  on  the 
other,  with  the  perverseness,  the  ingratitude,  and  the  infatuation 
of  men  ! 

In  the  days  of  his  publick   ministry,   our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
sent  forth  his  disciples,  two  and  two,  to  preach  in  the  cities  and 


2S4  SERMON  XXIV. 

villages  of  Israel.  Jlnd  he  said  unto  them,  In  what  place  soever 
ye  enter  into  an  house,  there  abide  till  ye  depart  from  that  place. 
And  whosoever  shall  not  receive  you,  nor  hear  you,  when  ye  de- 
part thence,  shake  off  the  dust  under  your  feet,  for  a  testimony 
against  them.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  it  shall  be  more  tolerable 
for  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  that 
city.  Having  tints  received  their  commission,  the  apostles  went 
out,  and  preached  that  men  should  repent. 

In  a  former  discourse,  I  endeavoared,  from  another  passage 
of  the  divine  word,  to  show  you  the  nature'  of  repentance.  My 
present  design  is  to  exhihit  several  very  plain  considerations, 
suited  to  impress  upon  your  minds  the  importance  and  necessity 
of  repentance. 

1.  The  importance  and  necessity  of  repentance  may  appear, 
from  the  express  command  of  God. 

This  command  is  often  repeated  in  the  volume  of  his  word, 
and  is  accompanied  with  the  most  powerful  persuasives.  By 
the  prophet  Isaiah,  Jehovah  says.  Wash  you,  make  you  clean  ; 
put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes  ;  cease  to 
do  evil ;  learn  to  do  ivell. — Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  ivay,  and 
the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts  ;  and  let  him  return  unto  the 
Lord,  for  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him  ;  and  unto  our  God,  for 
he  will  abundantly  pardon.  In  Ezekiel,  this  injunction  is  urged 
and  repeated  with  peculiar  emphasis.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God, 
Repent  and  turn  yourselves  from  your  idols,  and  turn  away  your 
faces  from  all  your  abominations. — Repent  and  turn  yourselves 
from  all  your  transgressions  ;  so  iniquity  shall  not  be  your  ndn. 
Cast  away  all  your  transgressions,  whereby  ye  have  transgressed ; 
and  make  you  a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit ;  for  why  will  ye  die  ? 
For  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him  that  dieth,  saith  the 
Lord  God.  Wherefore,  turn  yourselves  and  live  ye.  In  the 
New  Testament,  the  same  injunction  is  constantly  pressed  ;  not 
upon  one  people  or  nation  only,  but  upon  all  men.  According- 
ly, Paul,  standing  upon  Mars  Hill  at  Athens,  and  referring  to  the 
gross  darkness,  with  which,  for  ages,  the  gentile  world  had  been 
covered,  says.  The  times  of  this  ignorance  God  winked  at ;  but 
now  commandeth  all  men  every  where  to  repent ;  because  he  hath 


SERMON   XXIV.  285 

appointed  a  day,  in  the  xoJnch  he  ivill  judge  the  world  in  rights 
eousncss,  by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained  ;  whereof  he  hath 
given  assurance  unto  all  men.,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from 
the  dead.  This  command  to  lepent,  is  not  only  clothed  with 
all  the  authority  of  Jehovah  ;  but  is  given  with  the  utmost 
solemnity,  and  urged  with  the  utmost  pathos.  Any  one,  who 
will  attend  to  the  manner,  in  which  it  is  constantly  expressed, 
both  in  the  Old  Testament  and  in  the  New,  cannot  but  perceive 
that,  so  far  from  being  an  arbitrary  act  of  sovereign  authority,  it 
is  an  injunction  which  has  for  its  object  the  highest  good  of  man- 
kind, and  which  all  the  benevolence,  all  the  compassion,  as  well 
as  all  the  majesty  of  God,  is  engaged  to  enforce.  So  long,  then, 
as  men  continue  impenitent,  they  are  continually  acting,  not  only 
in  rebellion  against  the  high  authority  of  heaven  ;  not  only  in  de- 
fiance of  the  awful  majesty  and  vengeance  of  him,  in  whose 
hand  their  breath  is  ;  but,  also,  in  contempt  of  infinite  goodness 
and  mercy,  which  would  call  them  from  the  paths  of  destruction, 
to  the  way  of  safety,  of  life,  and  of  peace. 

II.  Repentance  is,  in  itself,  in  the  highest  degree  reasonable 
and  suitable  for  mankind. 

It  cannot  be  necessary  to  prove,  in  this  place,  that  mankind 
have  all  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God.  This 
solemn  truth  must  present  itself  to  every  mind,  with  the  clear- 
ness of  the  meridian  sun ;  and  stupid  and  hardened,  indeed, 
must  that  person  be,  who  does  not  feel  the  conviction  of  it,  in 
his  conscience  and  in  his  heart.  But  what  is  sin  ?  It  is  a  trans- 
gression of  the  divine  law  ;  of  that  law,  which  every  conscience, 
not  seared  as  with  an  hot  iron,  must  acknowledge  to  be  holy, 
and  just,  and  good.  It  is  rebellion  against  God,  the  rightful 
Sovereign  of  all  worlds,  a  being  of  infinite  perfection  and  glory. 
It  is  contempt  of  the  eternal  principles  of  right ;  it  is  enmity 
against  infinite  goodness  ;  it  is  destruction  to  the  sinner  himself ; 
and  it  is  treason  against  the  universe.  Sin,  therefore,  is,  in  its 
nature,  most  unreasonable,  malignant,  and  hateful ;  and  in  its  ten- 
dency, most  injurious,  most  pernicious,  most  ruinous.  No  person, 
then,  can  continue  in  sin,  and  not  stand  convicted,  before  the 
universe,  of  unspeakable  depravity  and  baseness,   temerity  and 


i3b  SERMON  XXIV. 

inauness,  turpitude  and  guilt.  With  all  this  every  person  is 
chargeable,  so  long  as  he  remains  impenitent ;  for,  so  long  as  he 
remains  impenitent,  he  continues  in  sin.  It  is  only  by  repent- 
ance, that  men  cease  to  do  evil,  and  learn  to  do  well.  It  is  only 
by  repentance,  that  they  cease  to  violate  the  perfect  law  of  rec- 
titude, to  dishonovi'  their  Maker,  to  abuse  infinite  goodness,  and 
contemn  infinite  glory,  to  act  in  hostility  to  the  best  interests  of 
the  universe,  and  to  destroy  their  own  souls.  It  is  only  by  re- 
pentance, that  they  turn  from  a  course  marked  with  infinite  folly 
and  guilt,  and  leading  to  eternal  infamy  and  wo,  to  the  way  of 
true  wisdom  and  honour,  and  of  immortal  life  and  felicity.  Is 
not  repentance,  then,  in  itself,  most  reasonable  and  suitable  for 
men,  for  every  person  on  earth  ? 

III.  In  the  only  plan  of  salvation  for  men,  repentance  is  made 
indispensable  to  pardon  and  life. 

As  it  was  in  ancient  times,  so  it  is  now,  people  who  wish  to 
reserve  to  themselves  liberty  to  sin,  and  yet  are  desirous  to  es- 
cape the  deserved  punishment,  are  often  ready  to  say,  Where- 
ivith  shall  I  come  before  the  Lord,  and  bow  myself  before  the  high 
God  ?  What  good  thing  shall  I  do,  what  sacrifice  shall  I  make, 
to  secure  myself  against  the  wrath  to  come,  and  to  obtain  eternal 
life  ?  What  commutation,  what  compromise,  shall  I  make  with 
God?  But  inquiries  of  this  kind  are  as  unreasonable  as  they  are 
fruitless ;  as  presumptuous  as  they  are  vain.  There  can  be  no 
commutation,  no  compromise  with  God.  No  supposed  good 
thing  which  you  can  do,  no  sacrifice  which  you  can  make,  will 
entitle  you  to  eternal  life,  or  secure  you  from  eternal  wo,  so 
long  as  you  remain  impenitent.  The  only  sacrifice  on  your 
part,  which  God  will  accept,  is  the  sacrifice  of  a  broken  and  con- 
trite spirit,  offered  to  him  through  the  atoning  blood  of  his  Son. 
Nothing  can  be  more  express  than  the  gospel  revelation,  on  this 
article.  When  the  apostles  of  our  Lord  were  anxiously  asked, 
Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  ?  their  answer  was.  Repent. 
Repent  ye,  says  Peter,  and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be 
blotted  out,  since  the  times  of  refreshment  are  come  from  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Lord  ;  for,  unto  you  first,  God,  having  raised  up  his 
Son  Jesus,  hath  soii  him  to  bless  you,  in  turning  away  every  ovf^ 


SERMON   XXIV.  287 

of  you  from  his  iniquities.  And  when  our  risen  Redeemer  com- 
missioned his  apostles,  and  expressly  directed  thai  rejjcntance 
and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  his  name  amongst  all 
nations,  it  was  commissioning  them  to  declare  to  all  people,  that 
there  could  be  no  remission  without  repentance.  We  accord- 
ingly find,  that  they  are  inseparably  connected  in  the  sacred 
writings  ;  and  that  forgiv^eness  is  invariably  represented  as  follow- 
ing only  upon  repentance, — decisively  to  cut  off  all  hope  of  ob- 
taining mercy,  without  turning  sincerely  from  sin  unto  God. 

Faith,  it  is  true,  is  constantly  represented,  in  the  gospel,  as 
securing,  infallibly,  pardon  and  life.  But  let  it  never  be  over- 
looked, that  the  faith  which  the  gospel  requires,  is  a  faith  which 
can  never  exist  without  repentance.  What  is  this  faith  ?  It 
consists  in  cordially  receiving  Christ,  and  trusting  in  him,  as  the 
only  Saviour  of  sinners.  But  can  any  one  thus  receive  Christ, 
and  trust  in  him  for  salvation,  while  he  remains  impenitent,  and 
continues  in  sin  ?  Can  an  impenitent,  unhumbled  sinner,  truly 
come  to  the  Saviour,  acknowledge  the  atonement  which  he  has 
made  for  sin,  and  trust  in  him  for  pardon  and  life,  through  that 
atonement .''  The  supposition  is  most  absurd.  But  that  we  may 
see  its  absurdity  in  a  still  stronger  light,  it  should  be  well  con- 
sidered, that  repentance  itself  is  absolutely  essential  to  that  salva- 
tion, which  the  gospel  proposes.  This  salvation  includes,  as  an 
essential  and  principal  part,  reconciliation  to  God,  peace  with 
him,  and  the  enjoyment  of  him.  But  is  it,  in  the  nature  of 
things,  possible,  that  an  impenitent  sinner  should  be  reconciled 
to  God,  should  have  peace  with  him,  and  enjoy  his  favour  and 
love .''  Is  it  possible,  that  a  person  can  be  reconciled  to  God, 
while  under  the  dominion  of  that  carnal  mind  which  is  en- 
mity against  God  9  That  he  can  have  peace  with  God,  v/hile 
he  still  continues  in  rebellion  ?  That  he  can  delight  himself  in 
God,  and  enjoy  his  favour,  while  he  still  loves  sin,  and  lives  in 
continual  transgression  and  disobedience  ?  No  ;  it  is  not  possible. 
Sin  must  be  renounced,  before  the  sinner  can  be  restored  to  God. 
If  the  sinner  be  saved,  he  must  be  delivered  from  sin  itself,  as 
well  as  from  the  desei-ved  punishment.  Accordingly,  before  the 
Saviour's  birth,  the  angel  from   heaven   directed   that  his  name 


288  SERMON   XXIV. 

should  be  called  Jesus  ;  because,  said  he,  he  shall  save  his  people 
from  their  sins.  Peter,  also,  in  the  name  of  all  the  apostles,  as- 
sured the  high  priest  and  the  Jewish  council,  that  the  same 
Jesus  ivhom  they  sleiv  and  hanged  on  a  tree,  God  had  exalted 
with  his  right  hand,  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour — /or what? — 
to  give  repentance  and  forgiveness  of  sins.  Repentance,  then,  is 
the  very  beginning  of  the  gospel  salvation,  with  sinful  men  ;  and 
without  repentance,  it  is  utterly  impossible  for  any  person,  truly 
to  come  to  Christ,  and  believe  in  him,  for  pardon  and  for  life. 
Accordingly,  faith  is  constantly  connected,  in  the  gospel,  with 
repentance.  Our  Lord  himself,  at  the  opening  of  his  publick 
)iiinistry,  said  ;  The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
at  hand.  Repent  ye,  and  believe  the  gospel.  And  his  apos- 
tles testified,  in  his  name,  both  to  Jews  and  Gentiles,  repentance 
towards  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. — So  vain  a 
thing  it  is  to  imagine  that  there  may  be  faith,  saving  faith,  with- 
out repentance ;  and  so  clear  it  is,  from  every  correct  view  of 
the  gospel,  that  repentance  is  absolutely  indispensable  to  sal- 
vation. 

IV.  The  awful  light,  in  which  the  scriptures  represent  a  state 
of  impenitence,  strongly  shows  the  importance  and  necessity  of 
repentance. 

Impenitence  is  represented  as  an  evidence  of  the  deepest 
corruption,  stupidity,  and  folly.  f'Jliy,  says  Jehovah  by  Jere- 
miah, Why  is  this  people  sliden  back,  by  a  perpetual  backsliding  ? 
To  what  can  be  imputed  this  obstinate,  this  incorrigible  degene- 
racy and  wickedness?  They  holdfast  deceit;  have  no  truth  or 
sincerity  in  them.  They  refuse  to  return.  I  hearkened  and 
heard ;  but  they  spake  not  aright.  JVo  man  repented  him  of  his 
wickedness,  saying,  What  have  I  done  ?  Every  one  turned  to  his 
course ;  pursued  his  evil  ways  ;  as  the  horse  rusheth  into  the 
battle ;  with  even  a  brutal  rashness  and  frenzy.  Yea,  the  stork 
in  the  heaven  knoweth  her  appointed  times  ;  and  the  turtle,  and 
the  crane,  and  the  swalloiv,  observe  the  time  of  their  coming: 
But  my  people  know  not  the  judgment  of  the  Lord.  This  dread- 
ful stupidity,  exceeding  even  that  of  the  brute  creation,  is  re- 
peatedly noticed,  in  other  parts  of  the  scriptures.     But,  a  single 


SERMON   XXIV.  289. 

passage  more,  to  this  effect,  may  suffice.  By  the  proplietlsaiah^ 
God  calls  upon  the  heavens  and  upon  the  earth  to  be  astonished 
at  the  stupidity  of  the  impenitent  Israehtes,  and  then  proceeds 
to  say,  The  ox  knoweth  his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master^ s  cril>; 
but  Israel  doth  not  know,  my  peopJe  doth  not  consider. 

But  not  only  is  impenitence  an  evidence  of  deep  degeneracy, 
and  worse  than  brutal  stupidity ;  it  is  also  attended,  according  to 
tlie  scriptures,  with  most  imminent  danger.  Says  the  voice  of 
eternal  Wisdom,  to  impenitent  men.  Because  I  have  called,  a7id 
ye  refused  ;  I  have  stretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded  ; 
but  ye  have  set  at  nought  all  my  counsel,  and  woidd  none  oj  my 
reproof;  I  also  xvill  laugh  at  your  calamity  ;  I  will  mock  when 
your  fear  cometh ;  when  your  fear  cometh  as  desolation,  and  your 
destruction  cometh  as  a  whirlwind;  ivhen  distress  and  anguish 
cometh  upon  you. — He  that  being  often  reproved,  hardeneth  his 
neck,  or  continues  obstinately  impenitent,  shall  suddenly  be  de- 
stroyed, and  that  without  remedy. — .,ind  thinkest  thou  this,  O 
man,  says  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  shalt  escape  the 
judgment  of  God  ?  Or  despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his  goodness, 
and  forbearance,  and  long-suffering,  not  knowing  that  the  good- 
ness of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance  ?  But  after  thy  hardness 
and  impenitent  heart,  treasurest  up  unto  thyself  wrath,  against 
the  day  ofivrath,  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God; 
who  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds.  Except  ye 
repent,  says  the  Saviour  himself.  Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall 
perish. — But  if  such  be  the  hideous  character  of  impenitence, 
and  such  the  fearful  danger  which  attends  it ;  what  language  of 
man  can  express,  with  adequate  energy  and  pathos,  the  import- 
ance and  necessity  of  repentance  ^ — Once  more, 

V.  Were  it  needful  to  give  further  confirmation  of  the  views 
which  we  have  taken  of  this  subject,  it  might  be  shown  at  large, 
that  the  call  to  repentance  constitutes  the  burden  of  the  messages 
which,  from  age  to  age,  have  been  sent  from  heaven  to  mankind, 

God,  indeed,  has  caused  proclamations  of  his  mercy  to  be 
made  through  the  world  ;  and  the  gospel  is  good  tidings  of  great 
joy  to  all  people.  But  what  i?  the  purport  of  lhp«e  proclamations 
37 


290  SERMON  XXIV. 

of  mercy,  and  these  tidings  of  joy  ?  It  is  this,  that  God,  in  tlie 
infinitude  of  his  wisdom  and  goodness,  has  opened  a  way  in 
which  sinful  men  may  be  reconciled  to  him,  and  saved  ;  and 
that  he  is  now  upon  a  throne  of  grace,  ready  to  pardon,  and  re- 
store to  his  favour,  every  sinner  of  our  race,  who  will  penitently 
return  unto  him.  But  never  has  a  message  been  sent  from 
heaven,  of  an  import  opposite  to  this.  Never  has  a  message 
come  from  God  to  men,  giving  the  least  intimation  of  pardon,  or 
of  life  everlasting,  without  genuine  repentance.  Accordingly, 
the  prophets  of  the  Lord,  who  were  sent  to  Israel,  called  upon 
the  people,  with  incessant  earnestness  and  urgency,  to  repent. 
When  John,  the  harbinger  of  the  Saviour,  came  preaching  in 
Judea,  the  voice,  which  was  heard,  was,  Repent  ye  ;  for  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  at  hand.  This  was  the  emphatical  note  on 
which  he  dwelt,  during  his  whole  ministry  ;  and  even  his  baptism 
was  the  baptism  of  repentance.  Jesus  himself  opened  his  minis- 
try, with  the  same  urgent  and  solemn  call.  Repent ;  for  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  at  hand ;  and  to  the  Pharisees,  on  a  very  in- 
teresting occasion,  he  said,  I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but 
sinners  to  repentance.  The  same  was  constantly  the  burden 
of  apostolick  preaching.  Both  before  and  after  the  death  and 
resurrection  of  Jesus,  they  went  out,  and  preached  that  men 
SHOULD  REPENT.  The  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  in  his  admirable 
defence  before  king  Agrippa,  declared  that,  in  obedience  to  the 
heavenly  vision,  he  had  shoived,  at  Damascus,  at  Jerusalem, 
throughout  all  the  coasts  of  Judea,  and  to  the  Gentiles,  that  they 
should  REPENT,  ajid  turn  to  God,  and  do  works  meet  for  repent- 
ance. It  was  thus,  my  brethren,  that  all  the  apostles  preached ; 
it  was  thus  that  Jesus  Christ  himself  preached,  and  to  the  same 
effect  are  all  the  instructions,  counsels,  exhortations,  and  warn- 
ings, of  the  whole  book  of  God.  Indeed,  the  whole  series  of 
divine  dispensations,  from  age  to  age,  has  held  the  same  lan- 
guage ;  and  with  one  continued  voice,  loud,  solemn,  and  im- 
pressive, has  urged  upon  mankind  the  importance,  and  necessity 
of  repentance. 


SERMON  XXIV.  291 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  We  are  led  to  reflect  on  the  extreme  folly  and  danger  ol 
delaying  repentance. 

Yet  how  common  a  thing,  my  hearers,  is  this.  How  com- 
mon for  persons,  and  even  for  those  who  believe  repentance  to 
be  most  important  and  necessary,  to  put  it  off,  from  day  to  day, 
and  from  year  to  year.  And  how  many  excuses  and  pleas  will 
they  invent  for  this  purpose.  Though  they  have  frequent  con- 
victions of  the  evil  of  sin,  and  conscience  often  suggests  to  them 
the  danger  of  their  condition  ;  yet,  by  how  many  artifices  do  they 
impose  on  themselves,  to  keep  themselves  quiet,  in  the  most 
guilty,  the  most  unhappy,  and  the  most  hazardous  condition  ! 
For  what  condition,  I  pray,  can  be  worse,  on  this  side  the  world 
of  eternal  wo,  than  is  theirs,  who  are  slaves  to  sin,  and  at  war 
with  heaven  ;  who  live  under  the  burthen  of  unpardoned  guilt ; 
who  have  no  interest  in  the  favour  of  God,  and  no  reasonable 
hope  of  salvation  by  Christ,  but  are  heirs  of  wrath,  and  every 
day  of  their  lives  are  tending  nearer  and  nearer  to  irremediable 
destruction  ;  and  who,  notwithstanding  all  this  dreadful  ruin, 
that  is  before  them,  and  hourly  hanging  over  their  heads,  obsti- 
nately refuse  the  overtures  of  mercy,  and  the  voice  that  would 
call  them  back  to  the  tvay  of  peace  9  If,  in  the  nature  of  things, 
and  by  the  unalterable  appointment  of  God,  repentance  is  abso- 
lutely necessary,  that  sinners  may  escape  the  wrath  to  come, 
it  can  be  nothing  less  than  madness  to  delay  it  for  a  dny,  or  an 
hour.  If  you  are  reluctant,  sinners,  and  backward  to  it  now, 
what  reason  have  you  to  suppose  that  your  reluctance  will  be 
diminished,  nay,  that  it  will  not  even  grow  stronger,  the  longer 
you  continue  impenitent  ?  Do  you  depend  on  futurity,  for  a 
more  convenient  season  9  Alas  !  how  ill-grounded,  how  delusive, 
how  presumptuous,  is  that  dependence  !  Does  not  the  constant 
experience  of  man  tell  you,  that  nothing  is  so  absolute  an  uncer- 
tainty, as  the  continuance  o(  life  ?  Have  you  not  repeated  and 
most  awful  warnings,  that,  even  in  the  midst  of  the  fairest  pros- 
pects for  life,  you  may  be  suddenly  overtaken  by  the  arrest  of 
death  ?  How,  then,  can  you  boast  of  to-morrow,  when  you  knov:- 


i29i  SERMON   XXlV. 

not  what  a  day,  or  even  an  hour,  may  hring  forth  i  Does  not 
every  consideration  of  dutyv  of  safety,  of  happiness,  urge  it  upon 
you  immediately  to  repent,  and  turn  to  God,  and  do  works  meet 
for  repentance  9  Especially,  if  you  perceive  in  yourselves  any 
tenderness  of  conscience,  any  convictions  of  guilt  or  of  danger, 
any  awakened  sensations  of  the  importance  of  repentance,  how 
can  you,  how  dare  you,  entertain  any  thought  of  delay  f  These 
Inward  emotions  and  impressions  are  not  to  be  trifled  with  ; 
they  are  not  to  be  stifled,  or  suppressed,  but  at  the  peril  of  your 
souls.  If  you  stifle  and  suppress  them,  it  may  seal  your  doom 
for  eternity.  The  spirit  of  God  may  depart  from  you,  and  give 
you  up  to  a  hard  heart,  and  a  reprobate  mind,  that  you  may 
treasure  up  unto  yourselves  wrath,  against  the  day  of  wrath,  and 
revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God.  With  every  im- 
penitent person,  indeed,  the  case  is  urgent,  and  admits  of  no 
delay. 

2.  The  subject  may  be  improved  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
viction. 

In  the  presence  of  God,  before  whom  I  stand,  let  me  appeal 
to  the  conscience  of  every  one  of  you,  whether  repentance  is 
not,  most  evidently,  a  reasonable,  an  important,  and  a  most  ur- 
gent duty  .''  Why,  then,  do  not  you  repent  ^  Why  will  you  delay 
repentance  for  a  moment  f  Why  not  now  repent,  and  turn  to 
God,  and  accept  his  offered  pardon  f  Will  any  of  you  say  that, 
important  as  it  may  be  for  others,  yet,  for  yourselves,  there  is  no 
need  of  repentance  ?  Will  any  of  you  say,  that  you  have  never 
sinned  against  God  ^  Even  if  you  have  not  been  guilty  of  open 
and  flagrant  vices;  yet,  are  you  not  conscious  that  you  have  not 
lived  as  the  holy  law  of  God  requires  ?  Why,  then,  I  ask  again, 
why  do  you  not  repent  of  the  sins,  of  which  you  are  conscious .'' 
Can  any  good  reason  be  given  ^  Can  any  other  reason  be  given, 
only  that  your  hearts  are  not  right  with  God  ;  nay,  that  in  heart 
you  are  really  and  utterly  at  variance  with  him  ?  If  you  loved 
God,  would  you  not  certainly  be  grieved,  deeply  grieved,  for 
the  sins  which  you  have  committed  against  him  ?  If  you  truly 
loved  God,  would  you  think  it  a  light  thing  to  offend  him  ;  and 
if  you  were  conscious  of  only  a  single  sin,  would  you  not  for  that 


SERMON   XXIV.  293 

sin,  with  deep  sorrow  of  heart,  cast  yourselves  at  his  feet,  and 
reptat  in  dust  and  ashes  9  II",  then,  now,  when  conscious  of 
many  oftences,  you  do  not  feel  this  godly  sorrow,  but  remain 
impenitent,  what  must  you  think  of  yourselves  f  What  must  you 
think  of  your  hearts?  Is  it  not  most  certain,  from  this  single  view 
of  the  case,  that  you  are  in  fact  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  des- 
titute, entirely,  of  true  love  to  God,  in  the  gidl  of  bitterness,  and 
bond  of  iniquity  ?  Yes,  the  case  is  exceedingly  simple  and  plain. 
You  know  that  you  have  offended  God  ;  that  you  have  sinned 
against  him  ;  yet,  you  are  not  grieved  for  this  wickedness  ;  you 
do  not  repent  of  it.  It  is,  therefore,  certain,  that  you  have  no 
love  to  God,  but  are  totally  alienated  from  him  by  w  icked  w-orks. 
Admit  this  simple  view  of  the  subject,  I  beseech  you,  wnth  con- 
viction to  your  consciences.  Never,  for  a  moment,  allow  your- 
selves to  imagine  that  your  hearts  are  good,  or  that  you  need  not 
♦renewing  grace,  so  long  as  you  can  live  day  after  day,  and  month 
after  month,  without  repentance  towards  God,  for  the  sins,  which 
you  know  you  have  committed  against  him. 

Finally,  How  solemn,  my  hearers,  is  the  situation  in  which 
you  are  all  now  placed  before  God.  You  have  all  sinned,  and 
come  short  of  his  glory  ;  but,  in  his  infinite  mercy,  he  has  open- 
ed a  way,  in  which  you  may  obtain  pardon,  and  escape  deserved 
punishment.  He  has  given  assurances,  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son, 
that,  if  you  will  repent,  you  shall  find  forgiveness  with  him,  and 
plenteous  redemption  ;  but,  if  not,  you  must  be  punished  with 
everlasting  destruction  from  his  presence,  and  from  the  glory  of 
his  power.  This  day,  has  this  momentous  message  been  deliv- 
ered to  you,  in  his  name  ;  and  the  importance  and  the  necessity 
of  repentance  has  been  urged  upon  your  consciences,  and  upon 
your  hearts.  And  now,  what  shall  be  the  event  ?  Some  of  you, 
it  is  hoped,  have,  before  this  day,  been  brought  to  repentance. 
But  how  is  it  to  be  with  those  who  have  not  ^  Will  you  repent, 
and  accept  the  offered  pardon  and  salvation  ;  or  will  you  refuse, 
and  abide  the  tremendous  consequences  ?  W^ill  you  all  refuse  .' 
Is  there  not  one  whose  heart  relents  ?  Not  one,  who  will  consent 
to  return  unto  the  Lord  our  God  ?  Will  not  all  the  motives  which 
pan  be  drawTi  from  his  word,   ti'om   the   considerations  of  duty 


^94  SERMON   XXIV 

and  of  interest,  of  life  and  of  death,  of  mercy  and  of  wrath,  of 
heaven  and  of  hell,  prevail  on  a  single  individual  to  repent  ? 
Will  you  all  harden  your  hearts,  and,  rather  than  repent  and  ac- 
cept salvation  with  eternal  glory,  resolve  to  pursue  the  way  of 
irremediable  perdition  ?  O  my  God,  must  it  be  so  ? — Well,  sin- 
ners, I  can  only  say  to  you  in  a  word,  that  the  time  will  come, 
w^hen  you  w^ill  feel  the  weight  of  this  subject,  and  remember  the 
message  of  this  day. 


SERMON    XXV. 


THE  GOODNESS  OF  GOD  AN  INDUCEMENT  TO  REPENTANCE. 


»®t 


Romans  ii.  4. 

Or  despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his  goodness,  and  forbearance,  and  long, 
suffering  ;  not  Jcnowing  that  the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee  to  re- 
pentance ? 

XN  the  first  chapter  of  this  epistle  to  the  Romans,  in  order  to 
prepare  the  way  for  the  great  doctrine  of  justification  only  by 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  aposde  sets  forth,  with  his  peculiar 
energy,  the  moral  ruin  of  mankind  at  large,  and  particularly  the 
universal  depravation  and  corruption  of  the  gentile  world.  In 
this  second  chapter,  proceeding  in  his  argument,  he  shows  the 
Jews  to  be  under  the  same  general  predicament  of  apostacy  and 
condemnation  with  the  Gentiles  ;  and,  therefore,  equally  with 
them,  shut  up  to  the  alternative  of  penitent  submission  to  the 
gospel  of  sovereign  grace,  or  of  certain  and  everlasting  destruc- 
tion from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his 
power.  Nay,  he  strongly  represents  that  the  Jews,  ready  as  they 
were  to  pass  judgment  against  the  Gentiles,  as  deservedly  con- 
demned, were  themselves  in  danger  of  even  a  more  aggravated 
condemnation.  For,  if  the  Gentiles  had  sinned  against  the  light 
of  nature,  the  Jews  had  sinned  against  still  clearer  light ;  and 
were,  therefore,  chargeable  with  proportionably  enhanced  guilt. 
Therefore,  he  says,  thou  art  inexcusable,  O  man,  whosoever  thon 


29o  SERMON  XXV. 

art  that  j udgesl ;  for,  ivherein  thou  judgcst  another  thou  coH' 
demnest  thyself;  for  thou  that  judgest  doest  the  same  things. 
But  7ve  are  sure  that  the  judgment  of  God  is  according  to  truth, 
against  them  which  commit  such  things.  And  thinkest  thou  this, 
O  man,  that  judgcst  them  that  do  such  things,  and  doest  the  same, 
that  thou  shalt  escape  the  judgment  of  God  2    Or  despisest 

THOU  THE  RICHES  OF  HIS  GOODNESS,  AND  FORBEARANCE,  AND 
LONG-SUFFERING  ;  NOT  KNOWING  THAT  THE  GOODNESS  OF  GOD 
LEADETH  THEE  TO  REPENTANCE  ? 

The  principal  and  most  obvious  sentiment  of  the  text  is  this  ; 
viz.  The  goodness  of  god  ought  to  be  improved  as  an  in- 
ducement TO  repentance. 

With  a  view  to  illustrate  and  impress  this  interesting  senti- 
ment, I  propose, 

I.  To  direct  your  attention  to  some  leading  instances  of 
God's  goodness  to  you.     And  then, 

II.  To  mention,  for  your  consideration,  several  motives  to 
repentance,  comprised  in  the  goodness  of  God   thus   displayed. 

That  God  is  infinitely  good  is  a  generally  acknowledged 
truth.  It  is  a  truth,  indeed,  which  lies  in  the  foundation  of  all 
rehgion,  both  natural  and  revealed.  In  our  present  subject, 
however,  we  are  not  so  directly  to  contemplate  infinite  goodness, 
or  benevolence,  as  a  glorious  attribute,  inherent  in  the  divine 
nature,  as  to  consider  some  of  its  particular  displays,  exercises, 
or  fruits.  It  was  evidently  by  the  riches  of  divine  goodness,  as 
displayed  particularly  to  the  Jews,  that  the  apostle  would  en- 
force upon  them  the  duty  of  repentance  ;  and  it  is,  accordingly, 
by  the  goodness  of  God,  as  particularly  manifested  to  you,  my 
hearers,  that  I  would  now  inculcate  upon  you  the  same  great 
duty. 

1 .  Then,  it  is  to  the  goodness  of  God  that  you  owe  your  ex- 
istence. 

Know  ye  that  the  Lord  he  is  God  ;  it  is  he  that  hath  made 
us,  and  not  we  ourselves.  The  hand  of  the  Lord  fashioned  you 
throughout,  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty  gave  you  under- 
standing. By  his  power,  also,  your  life,  your  being,  and  all 
your  facuhies  and  powers   have  been  preserved.     Is  existence.. 


SERMON  XXV.  297 

then,  better  than  nonexistence  ?  Is  life  better  than  death  ?  Is  it 
better  to  be  a  rational  and  immortal  being,  than  to  be  a  stone,  or 
tree,  or  beast,  or  reptile  ?  Then  God  is  to  be  acknowledged  good 
in  giving  you  existence  ;  in  preserving  you  alive  amidst  innumer- 
able dangers ;  and  in  imparting  and  continuing  to  you  those  no- 
ble capacides  and  faculties,  which  exalt  you  to  a  rank  among  in- 
telligent beings,  which  fit  you  for  important  action,  for  distin- 
guished happiness,  and  for  endless  improvement,  and  which 
stamp  your  natures  for  an  interminable  duration.  Yes,  it  is  ow- 
ing entirely  to  the  goodness  of  God,  that  you  hold  a  place,  and 
a  place,  too,  so  important  and  dignified,  in  his  vast  system  of 
creation  ;  and  can  look  forward  to  an  existence  beyond  the 
duration  of  the  earth  and  the  sun,  even  a  growing  existence  to 
eternity. 

2.  God  has  shown  you  liis  goodness,  in  giving  his  Son  for 
your  salvation. 

You  have  sinned  against  the  God  u^ho  made  you,  and  are 
justly  condemned  by  his  holy  law.  It  affords  you  no  solid  plea 
of  justification,  or  even  of  palliation,  that  others  as  well  as  your- 
selves have  sinned,  or  that  our  whole  race  is  in  a  fallen  state. 
Every  man  stands  accountable  to  God  for  himself,  and  must  an- 
swer for  his  own  sin  ;  nor  will  the  sins  of  others  be  admitted  as 
any  excuse  for  him,  or  palUation  of  his  guilt.  My  friends,  you 
are  just  as  guilty  before  God,  for  the  sins  which  you  have  com- 
mitted, as  if  you  only,  of  all  his  creatures,  had  rebelled  against 
him,  and  the  rest,  both  men  and  angels,  had  all  been  perfectly 
obedient  and  holy ;  and  be  it  as  it  would  in  regard  to  others, 
you  might  justly  have  been  left  to  perish  in  your  sins,  without 
any  Saviour,  or  hope  of  ransom.  It  was  thus  with  the  angels 
who  sinned.  They  were  cast  down  from  heaven,  into  the  re- 
gions of  despair,  and  ai'e  hopelessly  reserved  in  everlasting  chains, 
under  darkness,  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day.  Nor  have 
we  any  evidence  that  the  sins,  for  which  they  were  thus  con- 
demned, were  greater  than  what  you  have  committed.  To  the 
goodness  of  God,  therefore,  the  sovereign  goodness  of  God  to 
you,  it  is  certainly  to  be  attributed,  that  you  were  not  left  in  a 
state  as  completely  and  tremendously  desperate  as  theirs.  It  \?r 
38 


298  SERMON   XXV. 

to  be  ascribed  to  sovereign  unmeasurable  goodness  and  grace, 
that  the  God,  against  whom  you  have  sinned,  has  given  his  only 
begotten  Son  to  die  for  yon.  Say  not  that  tliis  goodness  was 
not  wholly  to  you,  but  partly  to  the  rest  of  mankind.  For  God 
might  have  given  his  Son  to  die  for  all  the  rest  of  our  fallen 
race,  and  not  for  you ;  as  he  did  give  him  to  die  for  sinful  men, 
and  not  for  sinful  angels.  Besides,  had  you  been  the  only  sin- 
ners in  the  universe,  how  could  you  ever  have  been  saved,  how- 
could  you  ever  have  had  the  offer  of  salvation,  otherwise  than 
through  an  atonement,  such  as  has  been  made  by  the  blood  of 
the  Sork  of  God  ?  Yes,  God  has  given  his  Son  to  die  for  you  ; 
and  his  goodness  to  you  in  this  is  as  great  as  if  there  had  been 
no  other  sinners  but  yourselves  to  redeem.  Herein,  then,  is  love, 
infinite,  ineffable  love  ;  not  that  you  loved  God,  hut  that  he  loved 
you,  and  gave  his  Son  to  be  a  propitiation  fo?-  your  sins. 

3.  God  has  shown  you  his  goodness,  in  bringing  his  salvation 
so  near,  and  setting  it  in  so  perspicuous  and  so  impressive  a  light 
before  you. 

How  lai'ge  a  proportion  of  the  nations,  the  families,  and  in- 
dividuals of  mankind,  have  been  left  without  the  gospel.  Look 
back  upon  past  ages ;  and  extend  your  survey  over  the  now 
living  world  !  Look  at  the  millions  in  Asia,  in  Africa,  in  the 
islands  of  die  sea,  and  in  the  wilds  of  America,  sitting  in  dark- 
ness, and  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death.  They  know  not 
God,  nor  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  They  know  not  the  way  of  life, 
nor  how  to  obtain  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins.  They  have  no 
Bibles,  nor  Sabbaths,  nor  gospel  institutions.  They  are  perish- 
ing for  lack  of  knowledge.  It  is  not  so  with  you.  Your  lot  has 
been  cast  in  the  valley  of  vision  ;  and  on  you  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness shines.  Like  them,  however,  you  might  have  been 
left  to  grope  in  pagan  darkness  ;  to  live  without  light,  and  to  die 
without  hope  ;  and  it  is  only  of  the  sovereign  goodness,  the  ten- 
der mercy  of  God,  that  not  only  the  day  spring  from  on  high, 
but  the  meridian  light  from  the  throne  of  God,  has  visited  you. 
To  you  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  brought  near,  widi  all  its  im- 
measurable grace.  In  your  view,  the  great  concerns  of  judg- 
ment and  of  mercy  are  displayed,  in  a  manner  to  affect,  most  in- 


SERMON  XXV.  299 

tensely,  all  the  sensibilities  of  the  soul.  Heaven  and  hell,  \vith 
their  glorious  and  tremendous  realities,  are  opened  before  you. 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  evidently  set  forth  crucified  among 
you  ;  and  by  the  most  moving  and  the  most  akrming,  by  the 
most  melting  and  the  most  urgent  arguments  and  motives,  you 
are  constantly  solicited  and  pressed  to  an  acceptance  of  his  sal- 
vation. And  all  this,  my  hearers,  is  to  be  ascribed  to  the  sove- 
reign goodness,  to  the  tender  mercy  of  God,  towards  you. 
I  add, 

4.  That  the  goodness  of  God  is  displayed  towards  you,  in 
prolonging  your  probation,  under  his  gracious  providence  and 
gospel. 

Why  did  he  not  consume  you,  on  your  first  refusal  of  his 
mercy  ?  Why  did  he  not  swear  in  his  wrath,  that,  since  you  had 
rejected  his  Son,  and  despised  his  salvation,  you  should  never 
enter  into  his  rest,  or  be  again  invited  to  the  joys  of  his  kingdom  f 
This  he  might  justly  have  done ;  and,  months  and  years  ago, 
have  consigned  you  to  that  woful  dwelling,  where  the  voice  of 
mercy  never  sounds.  But  he  has  been  waiting  on  you  to  be 
gracious ;  has  prolonged  your  probation,  continued  to  you  the 
offer  of  pardon,  and  called  after  you  incessantly,  to  hear,  repent, 
and  live.  The  dispensations  of  his  providence  towards  you 
have  been  so  varied  as  most  forcibly  to  show  you  how  vain  a 
thing  it  is  to  expect  sohd  happiness,  or  peace,  in  the  ways  of 
disobedience  ;  and  how  indispensable  it  is,  both  to  your  present 
and  eternal  welfare,  that  you  become  reconciled  to  him.  And, 
by  his  word  and  sacred  institutions,  by  the  great  truths  of  his 
gospel,  presented  to  your  minds  in  a  thousand  different  ways, 
and  in  a  thousand  varied  lights,  he  has  most  clearly  and  earnest- 
ly declared  to  you,  from  day  to  day,  and  continually,  whore  your 
true  interest  lies,  and  what  must  be  the  inevitable  consequence 
of  a  final  refusal  of  his  grace.  In  all  this  he  has  shown  you  his 
goodness.  Yes,  he  has  shown  you  his  goodness,  in  all  the  dis- 
pensations of  his  providence  towards  you  ;  not  less  in  those 
which  you  have  been  wont  to  call  affliction,  than  in  those  which 
you  have  regarded  as  merciful ;  since,  by  the  former,  not  less 
than  by  the  latter,  he  has  been  pressing  upon  you  a  serious  at- 


300  SERMON  XXV. 

tention  to  the  things  which  belong  to  your  peace.  He  has  shown 
to  you  his  goodness,  certainly,  in  continuing  to  you  the  inestima- 
ble privileges  of  his  gospel.  In  this,  indeed,  he  has  shown  you 
what  the  apostle  emphatically  calls  the  riches  of  his  goodness^ 
and  forbearance,  and  long-suffering.     Suffer  me,  then, 

11.  To  call  your  attention  to  several  motives  to  repentance, 
which  are  obviously,  comprised  in  the  goodness  of  God,  thus 
variously  displayed  towards  you.  Or  despisest  thou  the  riches  of 
his  goodness,  and  forbearance,  and  long-siffering ;  not  knowing 
that  the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance'?  Here  it  is 
obvious  to  observe, 

1.  That,  as  a  motive  to  repentance,  the  goodness  of  God 
shows,  in  a  strong  and  affecting  light,  the  turpitude  of  sin. 

What  would  you  think,  my  hearers,  of  a  child,  who  should 
wilfully  and  habitually  disobey,  and  treat  with  contempt,  a  wor- 
thy and  good  father,  whose  unwearied  care  and  study  it  had  been 
to  seek  and  promote  his  welfare  .''  What  would  you  think  of  the 
man,  who  should  perpetually  conduct  himself  in  the  most  injuri- 
ous manner,  towards  his  best  and  greatest  benefactor  .''  Would 
you  not  find  it  difficult  to  give  such  conduct  a  name,  sufficiently 
expressive  of  your  sense  of  its  turpitude  ,''  But,  in  judging  the 
child,  or  the  man,  who  should  act  the  part  now  described,  would 
you  not  condemn  yourselves.''  Every  sin  is  disobedience  to  God, 
and  carries  in  it,  therefore,  a  contempt  of  him,  of  his  authority, 
and  of  his  glory.  Here,  then,  pause,  and  reflect.  Is  it  to  God 
that  you  owe  your  existence,  with  all  the  distinguished  endow- 
ments of  your  nature  ?  Has  God  given  his  own  Son  to  die  for 
vou,  that  you  might  have  a  way  of  escape  from  deserved  punish- 
ment, and  of  return  to  immortal  glory  .''  Has  he  brought  his  sal- 
vation near,  and  displayed  it  before  you  in  all  its  infinite  im- 
portance ?  And  have  you  lived  all  your  days  under  his  gracious 
providence  and  gospel,  even  upon  the  riches  of  his  goodness,  and 
forbearance,  and  long-svffering  ?  How  amazing,  then,  is  the  tur- 
pitude of  your  sins  !  What  perverseness  of  heart,  what  ingrati- 
tude, what  baseness  have  you  shown,  if  you  have  lived  in  dis- 
obedience to  him,  in  contempt  of  his  authority,  in  neglect  of  his 
glory,  and  in  abuse  of  his  goodness  !  Can  any  words  express  the 


SERMON  XXV.  301 

atrocity  of  your  conduct  ?  Alas,  is  there  not  here  contempt  of  a 
Father  infinitely  good,  of  a  Benefactor  infinitely  kind  ?  To  adopt 
the  peculiarly  significant  language  of  the  apostle,  does  not  sin,  in 
this  view  of  it,  appear  exceeding  sinful  ?  And  should  not  the 
goodness  of  God,  then,  lead  you  to  repentance  ?  When  you  con- 
sider the  unspeakable  kindness  and  mercy,  which  he  has  shown 
to  you,  ought  not  your  hearts  to  dissolve  with  the  tenderest  con- 
trition, and  should  you  not  smite  upon  your  breasts,  and  say, 
each  one  of  you,  with  the  humble  and  deeply  affected  publican, 
God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  9  But, 

2.  As  another  motive  to  repentance,  the  goodness  of  God  to- 
wards you  affords  the  strongest  and  most  persuasive  evidence, 
that  he  is  ready  to  forgive  your  sins,  and  restore  you  to  his  fa- 
vour, if  you  will  but  penitently  return  to  him. 

Did  you  even  know,  indeed,  that  your  sins  could  never  be 
forgiven,  it  would  still  certainly  be  reasonable,  that  you  should 
be  penitently  sorry  for  all  your  disobedience  to  God,  and  earn- 
estly desire  to  disobey  him  no  more.  The  wretched  convict, 
who  has  capitally  offended  against  the  good  lav/s  of  his  country, 
ought  to  be  tenderly  grieved  for  his  crime,  even  though  he 
should  know  that  his  sentence  of  death  was  not  to  be  rev^oked. 
Even  the  miserable  victims  of  despair,  in  the  prison  of  eternal 
wo,  ought  to  be  penitently  sorry,  that  they  have  sinned  against  a 
Being  of  infinite  goodness.  But,  if  there  would  be  upon  you  an 
eternal  obligation  to  repent,  even  did  you  know  that  you  could 
never  obtain  pardon  ;  how  great  must  be  your  obligations,  and 
how  strong  the  inducement  to  repentance,  if  assurance  be  given 
you  of  ready  forgiveness,  if  you  do  repent  ?  Such  assurance, 
however,  is  given.  The  gospel,  throughout,  declares  to  you, 
that  there  is  forgiveness  with  God,  and  plenteous  redemption  ; 
that  if  you  will  penitently  return  unto  him,  he  will  have  mercy 
upon  you,  and  remove  your  sins  from  you,  as  far  as  the  east  is 
from  the  west.  It  was  for  this  purpose,  expressly,  jhat  Christ 
died  and  rose  again,  that  repentance  might  be  preached  in  his 
name,  and  remission  of  sins.  And  how  could  God  confirm  to 
you  the  truth  of  this  doctrine  more  effectually,  or  more  impres- 
sively, than  by  the  riches  of  his  goodness,   and  forhearanre,  and 


3UJ  SERMON  XX\. 

long-suffering,  which  he  has  so  long,  and  so  variously,  shown  to 
you  ?  Has  he  given  his  Son  to  die  for  you,  has  he  displayed  be- 
fore you  all  the  riches  of  his  kingdom,  and  been  earnestly  offer- 
ing you  liis  grace  all  your  days  f  And  can  you  entertain  a  doubt, 
that  if  you  will  truly  repent,  he  will  grant  you,  immediately,  a 
free  and  full  pardon  ?  And  what  motive  to  repentance,  stronger 
than  this,  could  be  presented  ?  When  you  have  sinned  against 
infinite  goodness  ;  when  your  sins  are  of  an  enormity  reaching 
to  the  heavens,  and  revolting  to  the  universe  ;  and  yet  a  pardon 
is  freely  offered  you,  through  the  precious  blood  of  God's  own 
Son  ;  will  you,  can  you  harden  your  hearts,  and  remain  im- 
[)enitent  ? 

3.  As  another  motive  to  repentance,  the  goodness  of  God 
most  decisively  proves  to  you,  that  the  highest  and  most  perfect 
happiness  must  be  enjoyed  in  friendship  with  him. 

To  a  good  mind,  can  there  be  a  purer  source  of  happiness, 
than  the  love,  the  friendship,  and  the  society  of  those,  who  are 
truly  good  ?  If  indeed  there  be  on  earth  any  pure  fehcity,  is  it 
not  that  which  is  found  in  the  mutual  friendship  of  truly  virtuous 
minds  ?  How  pure,  then,  and  how  exalted,  is  the  happiness 
which  is  offered  to  mankind,  in  the  everlasting  friendship  and 
love  of  God  !  Could  you  bring  into  one  united  whole,  all  that  is 
excellent  and  lovely  in  all  the  virtuous  and  good  of  mankind, 
and  add  to  this  all  the  excellencies  of  all  the  myriads  of  holy  an- 
gels in  heaven,  this  aggregate  whole  would  fall  infinitely  short  of 
the  excellence  and  loveliness  of  God.  God  is  love.  In  his 
adorable  nature  dwells  every  thing  excellent,  every  thing  lovely, 
in  infinite  perfection.  How  happy,  then,  must  they  be,  who 
truly  love  him  !  How  happy  they,  whom  he  loves  !  How  pure, 
how  exalted,  how  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,  the  happiness 
of  those,  who  are  admitted  to  the  enjoyment  of  his  everlasting 
friendship,  and  dwell  in  his  presence,  and  at  his  right  hand  ! 
Surely,  in  his  favour  is  life,  and  his  loving-kindness  is  better  than 
life.  In  his  presence  is  fidncss  of  Joy  ;  at  his  right  hand  there 
are  pleasures  forevermore.  And  is  there  not  in  this  a  most  per- 
suasiv'e  motive  to  repentance  f  So  long  as  you  impenitently  con- 
tinue in  sin,  you  are   oh'pnatcd  from  the  life  of  God.     You  arc 


SERMON   XXV.  .i03 

enemies  to  him  in  your  minds  hy  wicked  ivories,  and  must  be 
strangers  to  that  happiness,  which  is  found  in  his  favour  and 
friendship.  Yet,  ahenated  and  enemies  as  you  are,  and  deserv- 
ing of  his  everlasting  displeasure,  he  has  followed  you  with  his 
goodness  all  your  days.  In  this  you  have  a  most  convincing 
proof,  at  once,  of  the  ineffable  happiness  which  is  to  be  found  in 
true  friendship  with  him,  and  of  his  readiness  to  admit  you  to 
this  happiness.  If  such  is  his  goodness  to  you,  while  you  con- 
tinue in  sin  against  him,  what  would  he  not  do  for  you,  were  you 
penitently  to  return,  and  become  his  obedient  children  ?  If, 
while  you  were  enemies,  he  gave  his  Son  to  die  for  you  ;  how 
should  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  you  all  things,  if  you 
would  repent,  and  become  his  friends  ?  If  he  have  waited  so 
long  on  you  to  be  gracious  ;  how  great,  beyond  your  most  ex- 
alted conceptions,  must  be  the  riches  of  that  grace,  which  he 
will  confer  upon  you,  if  you  will  humbly  embrace  his  salvation  f 
He  will  be  your  God ;  will  own  you  for  his  sons  and  his  daugh- 
ters ;  and  will  admit  you  to  the  free  and  everlasting  enjoyment 
of  the  infinitude  of  his  goodness.  Should  not  his  goodness,  then, 
lead  you  to  repentance  ?  But  I  have  to  observe, 

4.  That,  as  anotlier  motive  to  repentance,  the  goodness  of 
God,  so  richly  displayed  towards  you,  carries  in  it  a  most  deci- 
sive evidence,  that,  if  you  do  not  repent,  you  must  be  consum- 
mately wretched  and  miserable  forever. 

The  goodness  of  God  does  not  consist  in  indifference  to 
moral  character,  or  to  the  sinful  and  lioly  actions  of  creatures. 
Such  indifference  would  not  be  goodness  ;  it  would  be  the  ab- 
sence of  goodness.  The  righteous  Lord  loveth  righteousness, 
and  hateth  iniquity.  Why  was  it,  my  hearers,  that  God  gave  his 
own  Son  to  die  for  you  .''  Was  it  not  because  he  saw  you  to  be 
justly  obnoxious  to  everlasting  destruction  .''  Why  has  he  brought 
his  kingdom  so  near  to  you,  waited  on  you  so  long,  and  ad- 
dressed you  so  constantly,  and  so  earnestly,  with  his  gracious 
invitations,  warnings,  expostulations,  and  entreaties  ?  Is  it  not 
because  he  knows  that,  without  repentance,  you  can  never  have 
a  part  in  the  felicities  of  his  kingdom  ?  Would  a  Being  of  infinite 
goodness  be  at  all  this  expense  and  pains,   if  there  wevf  no  ne- 


304  SERMON   XXV. 

cessity  for  it  ?  Or  would  there,  indeed,  be  any  thing  of  goodness 
to  be  seen  in  all  this  expense  and  pains,  in  all  which  God  has 
done  to  call  you  to  repentance,  if,  after  all,  you  may  be  saved, 
though  you  should  not  repent  ?  Is  it  not  a  clear  case,  in  fine,  that 
the  goodness  of  God  towards  sinners  in  this  world,  in  providing 
for  them  a  way  of  salvation,  and  in  employing  with  diem  such  a 
variety  of  means,  to  lead  them  to  repentance,  so  far  from  afford- 
ing encouragement,  that  he  will  not  punish  the  incorrigibly  im- 
penitent, furnishes  the  most  conclusive  proof,  that  he  certainly 
will  punish  them  ?  This  must  be  unquestionable.  Accordingly, 
the  apostle,  in  immediate  connection  with  our  text,  says.  But, 
after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart,  treasurest  up  unto  thyself 
wrath,  against  the  day  of  wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God  ;  ivho  ivill  render  to  every  man  according  to  his 
deeds  ;  to  them  who,  by  patient  continuance  in  well  doing,  seek 
for  glory,  and  honour,  and  immortality,  eternal  life  ;  but  unto 
them  ivho  are  contentious,  and  do  not  obey  the  truth,  but  obey  un- 
righteousness, indignntinn  nnd  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish, 
upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil ;  of  the  Jew  first,  and  also 
of  the  Gentile. 

How  wretched,  then,  O  sinner,  must  be  your  condition,  if 
you  die  without  repentance  !  How  wretched  your  condition, 
when  he  that  made  you  will  not  have  mercy  on  you,  and  he  that 
formed  you  will  show  you  no  favour !  How  terrible  must  be  your 
misery,  when  separated  from  God  forever,  and  without  hope  ; 
and  all  his  infinite  goodness,  instead  of  being  your  delight  and 
joy,  will  be  to  you  a  source  of  unutterable  anguish  and  despair  ! 
How  poignant  must  be  the  reflection,  in  the  prison  of  everlast- 
ing wo,  that  you  suffer  under  the  displeasure  of  that  God,  who  is 
infinite  love,  in  the  enjoyment  of  whom  the  millions  of  holy  an- 
gels and  saints  in  heaven  are  now,  and  will  be  to  endless  ages, 
ineffably  happy  !  What  an  enhancement  of  your  misery  must  it 
be,  to  remember  all  the  riches  of  GocVs  goodness,  and  forbear- 
ance, and  long-suffering,  which  were  shown  to  you  here,  in  your 
probationary  state,  and  which,  instead  of  being  improved  for  the 
purpose  of  repentance,  were  so  abused  as  to  be  made  an  encour- 
agement to  continue  in  sin  !    O  that  you  tvere  wise,  that  you  un- 


SERMON   XXV.  -SQo 

derstood  this,  that  you  would  consider  your  latter  end !  Let  me 
entreat  you  to  consider  ;  let  me  entreat  you  to  ponder  seriously 
and  tenderly  the  considerations  which  have  now  been  presented; 
and  may  the  Lord  give  you  understanding,  may  his  Spirit  set 
home  his  truth,  and  his  goodness  efiectualiy  lead  you  to  repent- 
ance. 

Christians,  consider  ivhat  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  be- 
stowed upon  you,  that  ye  should  be  called  the  children  of  God ! 
But,  alas,  how  many  and  how  great  are  your  daily  sins  against 
him  ! — If,  then,  the  goodness  of  God  towards  sinners  should  lead 
them  to  repentance  ;  into  what  tenderness  of  contrition  should 
your  hearts  be  melted,  by  his  distinguishing  goodness  and  love 
to  you  f  O  let  this  consideration  have  an  abiding  impression  on 
your  minds,  that  you  may  keep  your  hearts  with  care,  that  you 
may  dread  the  very  appearance  of  evil,  and  that  you  may  walk 
softly  before  the  Lord,  and  worthy  of  him  unto  all  pleasing.^^ 

Amen. 

39 


SERMON    XXVI. 


THE  SPIRITUAL  MEAT   AND  SPIRITUAL  DRINK  OF  ISRAEL. 


1  Corinthians  x.  3,  4. 

.Ind  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual  meat ;  and  did  all  drink  the  same 
spiritual  drink  :  for  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  rock  that  followed 
them  ;  and  that  rock  was  Christ. 

JLN  all  ages,  the  infinitely  wise  God  has  seen  fit  to  make  use  of 
external  signs,  for  instructing  and  assuring  his  people,  in  regard 
to  the  spiritual  blessings  of  his  everlasting  covenant.  Under  the 
ancient  economies,  the  signs  employed  were  more  numerous  and 
various  than  those  under  the  gospel.  The  Messiah,  the  source 
of  all  the  blessings  signified,  was  not  then  come,  and  the  things 
pertaining  to  his  salvation  and  kingdom  were  then  revealed  but 
in  part,  and  understood  but  imperfectly ;  and  while  it  was  thus, 
types,  and  sacramental  symbols,  shadows  of  good  things  to  come, 
were  eminently  suited  to  engage  the  attention,  to  impress  the 
minds,  to  interest  the  hearts,  to  strengthen  the  faith,  and  to  raise 
and  animate  the  hopes  of  his  people. 

Always,  however,  under  the  old  dispensations  and  the  new^ 
mankind  have  been  prone  to  rest  in  the  signs,  without  a  due  ap- 
prehension, or  a  lively  possession,  of  the  things  signified.  Many 
in  the  Corinthian  church,  trusting  in  their  outward  privileges, 
and  in  the  sacramental  signs  of  their  covenant  relation  to  God, 
entertained  an  unwarrantable  confidence  in  the  security  of  their 


SERMON  XXVI.  307 

standi ns,  and  presumptuously  exposed  themselves  to  the  poUu«- 
tions  of  the  surrounding  idolatries.  To  check  this  confidence, 
and  to  restrain  this  exposure,  the  apostle  solemnly  pointed  them, 
for  a  monitory  example,  to  Israel  in  the  wilderness.  Brethren, 
says  he,  I  ivould  not  that  ye  should  be  ignorant,  how  that  all  our 
fathers  were  under  the  cloud,  and  all  passed  through  the  sea  ; 
and  were  all  baptized  unto  Moses  in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea  ; 
and  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual  meat  ;  and  did  all  drink  the 
same  spiritual  drink  ;  for  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  rock  that 
followed  them,  and  that  rock  ivas  Christ.  But  with  many  of 
them  God  was  not  well  pleased ;  for  they  were  overthrown  in  the 
ivilderness.     JVoiv  these  things  were  our  examples. 

The  Israelites  who  came  out  of  Egypt  loere  all  under  the 
cloud;  under  the  guidance  and  protection  of  that  wonderful 
pillar,  that  symbol  of  the  divine  presence,  which  appeared  as  a 
cloud  by  day,  and  a  fire  by  night.  They  all  passed  through  the 
sea  ;  through  the  Red  sea,  when,  by  the  power  of  God,  it  was 
miraculously  divided,  and  the  waters  made  to  stand  as  an  heap 
on  either  hand,  to  give  them  an  easy  and  safe  passage,  while 
pursued  by  Pharaoh  and  his  host.  They  were  all  baptized  unto 
Moses  h\  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea.  In  confiding  themselves  to 
the  guidance  and  protection  of  the  cloud,  and  thus  passing 
through  the  divided  sea,  at  llie  word  of  Moses,  they  were  in 
effect  baptized  unto  him,  as  the  prophet  of  Jehovah,  and  into 
that  economy  of  religion,  which  he  was  appointed  to  introduce. 
The  sprinkling  from  the  cloud  and  from  the  sea,  or  the  whole 
stupendous  scene  of  their  passage,  was  a  solemn,  a  sacramental 
sign  and  seal  of  their  covenant  relation  to  God,  as  his  visible 
church  and  people,  according  to  the  Mosaic  institution.  And  in 
addition  to  this,  they  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual  meat,  the 
manna  from  heaven  ;  and  did  all  drink  the  same  sjnritual  drink, 
the  water  from  the  rock.  Yet  after  all  they  provoked  Jehovah 
their  God,  and  their  carcasses  fell  in  the  wilderness..  And  these 
things  happened  for  ensamples  to  all  the  professed  people  of  God  ; 
and  are  written  for  our  admonition,  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the 
world,  or  the  completion  and  substance  of  the  Mosaic  economy, 
have  come. 


S08  SERMON   XXVI. 

It  may  be  useful  then,  my  brethren,  to  consider,  somewhat 
particularly,  the  meat  and  the  drink  to  which  our  text  refers. 

I.  In  their  literal  sense  ;  and  then, 

II.  In  their  spiritual  or  symbolical  import. 

I.  Then,  let  us  briefly  consider  them  in  their  literal  sense. 

They  did  all  eat  that  spiritual  meat.  This,  unquestionably, 
was  that  which  in  the  scriptures  is  called  manna. 

In  about  six  weeks  after  their  passage  through  the  Red  sea, 
the  Israelites  came  into  the  wilderness.  As  the  provisions  which 
they  had  brought  with  them  from  Egypt  were  spent,  and  no  sup- 
ply was  to  be  found  in  the  wilderness,  the  whole  congregation 
began  to  murmur  for  lack  of  food.  God,  however,  who  was  not 
inattentive  to  their  necessities,  soon  let  them  know  that  he  could 
provide  for  them,  even  in  the  ivaste  hoivling  wilderness.  He 
promised  them  a  supply  of  bread  from  day  to  day,  and  this 
promise  he  was  faithful  to  fulfil.  In  the  morning,  when  the  dew 
was  exhaled,  behold,  upon  the  face  of  the  wilderness  there  lay  a 
small  round  thing,  as  small  as  the  hoar  frost  on  the  groundi 
And  lohen  the  children  of  Israel  saw  it,  they  said  one  to  another. 
It  is  manna  ;  for  they  wist  not  ivhat  it  ivas.  And  Moses  said 
unto  them,  This  is  the  bread  which  the  Lord  hath  given  you  to 
eat.  The  name  Manna  has  been  variously  understood.  Some 
have  erroneously  supposed  it  to  mean.  What  is  this  ?  Its  most 
probable  meaning  is  either.  This  is  prepared,  or  provided  ;  or,^ 
This  is  a  gift,  or  portion.  It  was,  indeed,  in  a  most  special 
sense  prepared,  or  provided  ;  it  was  eminently  a  gift,  or  portion  ; 
for  it  was  something  which  had  never  before  been  seen  or 
known ;  it  was,  by  the  special  interposition  of  God,  provided  for 
the  daily  sustenance  of  his  people.  The  substance  now  called 
manna  is  altogether  a  different  thing.  Moses,  at  the  close  ofhis 
life,  after  he  had  conducted  his  nation  to  the  borders  of  the 
promised  land,  said,  The  Lord  fed  thee  with  manna  which  thou 
knewest  not,  neither  did  thy  fathers  know.  He  rained  down 
manna  upon  them,  says  the  Psalmist,  and  had  given  them  of  the 
corn  of  heaven  ;  man  did  eat  angels^  food.  ■  It  is  called  the  corn 
of  heaven,  and  angels^  food,  probably  because  it  was  rained  from 
the  atmosphere  in  a  supernatural  manner  ;  and  was  not  only  pre- 


SERMON   XXVI.  309 

pared  by  the  ministration  of  angels,  but  was  also  typical  of  those 
riches  of  glory  in  Christ,  from  which  angels,  as  well  as  saints, 
derive  their  highest  happiness.  For  nearly  forty  years,  from  the 
time  it  was  first  given  till  Israel  came  to  the  promised  land,  they 
had  a  constant  supply  of  manna.  Every  morning,  excepting  tlie 
sabbath,  they  gathered  a  sufficiency  for  the  day;  and  on  the 
morning  before  the  sabbath,  a  sufficiency  for  two  days.  It  was 
like  coriander  seed,  and  the  taste  of  it  was  like  wafers  made  with 
honey.  It  was  ground  in  the  mortar,  or  in  the  mill,  was  made 
into  cakes,  and  was  a  most  pleasant  and  nutritive  food. 

They  did  all  drink  the  same  spiritual  drink  ;  for  they  drank 
Bf  that  spiritual  rock  that  followed,  them;  and  that  rock  was 
Christ. — From  the  wilderness  of  Sin,  they  removed  their  en- 
campment to  Rephidim  ;  and  there  was  no  water  for  the  peojjle 
to  drink. — And  they  thirsted  there  for  water,  and  murmured 
ttgainst  Moses,  and  said,  Wherefore  is  this,  that  thou  hast  brought 
vs  up  out  of  Egypt,  to  kill  us,  and  our  children,  and  our  cattle, 
tvith  thirst.  And  Moses  cried  unto  the  Lord,  saying,  What  shall 
I  do  unto  this  people  ?  They  be  almost  ready  to  stone  me.  The 
Lord  graciously  hearkened  ;  and,  by  his  direction,  Moses  con- 
ducted the  people  to  Horeb,  and  there,  in  the  sight  of  the  as- 
sembled tribes,  smote  with  his  rod  tire  rock  which  the  Lord  had 
designated,  and  water  instantly  issued  from  it  in  abundance. 
It  was  of  this  rock,  or  of  the  water  from  this  rock,  that  they  all 
drank. 

The  rock  which  followed  them. — The  rock  itself  did  not  in- 
deed follow  them ;  for  it  is  to  be  seen  at  mount  Horeb  to  this 
day.  As  described  by  travellers,  it  is  a  large  rock  of  red  mar- 
ble ;  and  its  many  mouths,  or  openings,  whence  the  waters  issu- 
ed, show  unequivocal  marks  of  the  divine  hand,  and  proclaim  to 
all  ages  the  power  of  God,  and  the  truth  of  his  word.  But  the 
stream  from  this  rock  followed  the  favoured  tribes,  in  their  jour- 
Deys,  for  almost  forty  years.  He  clave  the  rocks,  in  the  wilder- 
ness, says  the  Psalmist,  and  gave  them  drink  as  out  of  the  great 
depths.  He  brought  streams  also  out  of  the  rock,  and  caused 
waters  to  run  down  like  rivers. — He  opened  the  rock,  and  the 
waters  gushed  out;  they  ran  in  the  dry  places  like  n  river. — In 


SIO  SERMON   XXVI. 

that  vast  uiiwatcred  desert,  through  which  they  journeyed,  the 
whole  people  of  Israel  must  have  perished,  had  not  a  miraculous 
supply  of  water  been  aflbrded  them.  Nor  could  three  millions 
of  people,  with  their  cattle,  have  been  well  supplied  for  their 
various  purposes,  during  thirty  eight  years,  unless  indeed,  ac- 
cording to  the  Psalmist's  account,  the  waters  had  been  made  to 
run  in  the  dry  places  like  a  river.  Doubtless  it  was  a  constant- 
ly flowing  river ;  and  it  was  probably  made  to  take  its  course 
through  the  low  grounds  between  the  mountains  and  hills,  so  as 
to  accommodate  the  tribes,  in  their  circuitous  journeyings,  until, 
in  the  thirty  ninth  year,  they  came  to  the  coast  of  the  Red  sea, 
at  Eziongaber.  Here  it  seems  to  have  stopped  j  for  when  they 
departed  from  Eziongaber,  and  passed  over  the  hill  countiy  to 
Kadesh  Barnea,  they  again  murmured  for  water,  and  another 
rock  was  smitten  for  t'leir  supply.  To  the  stream  which  thus 
followed  Israel,  there  is  probably  an  allusion  in  the  xlvith  Psalm  ; 
There  is  a  river,  the  streams  whereof  shall  make  glad  the  city  of 
God,  the  holy  place  of  the  tabernacles  of  the  Most  High  ;  and  in 
the  xiiiid  of  Isaiah  ;  /  will  give  waters  in  the  wilderness,  and 
rivers  in  the  desert,  to  give  drink  to  the  people,  my  chosen. 

That  rock  ivhich  folloived  them,  says  the  apostle,  and  that 
rock  was  Christ.  It  was  a  type  of  Christ,  and  a  sacramental 
sign  of  the  blessings  of  salvation  by  him,  as  was  also  the  manna, 
the  corn  of  heaven.     Hence, 

II.  We  may  consider  both  the  meat  and  the  drink  in  their 
.spiritual  import. 

The  same  spiritual  meat — the  same  spiritual  drink; 
spiritual,  not  in  their  nature,  but  in  their  import,  as  they  were 
symbols,  and  seals,  or  sacramental  signs  of  spiritual  blessings. 

In  regard  to  the  Manna,  our  Saviour  himself  is  expHcit.  To 
the  Jews  he  said,  /  am  that  bread  of  life.  Your  fathers  did  eat 
manna  in  the  wilderness,  and  are  dead.  This  is  the  bread  lohich 
Cometh  down  from  heaven,  that  a  man  may  eat  thereof  and  not 
die.  I  am  the  living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven.  If 
any  man  cat  of  this  bread  he  shall  live  forever  ;  and  the  bread 
that  I  wiU  give  is  my  flesh,  ivhich  I  ivill  give  for  the  life  of  the 
vwrld.     Here  he  expressly  declares  himself  to  be  the  real  bread 


SERMON   XXVI.  311 

from  heaven,  of  which  the  manna  was  a  type.  He  d laws  a 
parallel  between  the  manna  and  himself;  and  shows  that,  as  the 
manna  was  necessary  to  the  natural  life  of  the  Israelites,  so  he, 
his  Hesh  and  his  blood,  are  necessary  to  the  spiritual  life  of  his 
people. 

In  odier  places,  he  has  also  evident  allusion  to  the  waters  of 
the  rock.  In  his  discourse  with  the  Samaritan  woman  at  the 
well  of  Sichar  he  says.  If  thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God,  and  who 
it  is  that  saith  to  thee,  Give  me  to  drink,  thouivouldst  have  asked 

of  him,  and  he  would  have  given  thee   living  xvuter 

Whosoever  drinketh  of  the  water  that  I.  shall  give  him  shall  never 
thirst ;  hut  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  be  in  him  a  vjell 
of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life.  And  on  the  great 
day  of  the  feast,  as  they  were  bringing  water  from  the  well  of 
Siloam,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
unto  me  and  drink,  plainly  setting  himself  forth  as  the  fountain 
of  living  water,  the  rock  from  which  the  streams  of  salvation 
flow. 

The  manna,  as  a  type  of  Christ,  was  in  several  respects  emi- 
nently significant.  It  was  provided  by  infinite  goodness,  without 
the  labour  of  man,  and  in  a  way  to  confound  all  human  wisdom  : 
and  Christ,  the  true  bread  from  heaven,  has  been  set  ioith  for 
the  life  of  the  world,  in  the  sovereign  wisdom  and  mercy  of  God, 
in  a  way  to  turn  the  wisdom  of  man  into  foolishness,  and  with- 
out any  thing  previously  done  by  men  to  procure  the  blessing. 
The  manna,  in  order  to  be  used  for  food,  was  broken  and  j)ruis- 
ed  ;  and  Christ,  in  order  to  become  the  bread  of  life,  was  broken 
for  us  ;  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  our 
iniquities.  The  manna  was  freely  offered  to  all,  the  high  and 
the  low,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  without  distinction,  or  respect  of 
persons ;  and  Christ  is  freely  offered  to  all,  and  in  him  there  is 
neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  Barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  nor  free. 
The  manna  was  abundantly  sufficient  for  all  the  thousands  of 
Israel ;  and  Christ  is  sufficient  for  as  many  thousands  and  mill- 
ions as  will  come  unto  him  for  life.  The  manna  must  be  gath- 
ered every  day  ;  and  for  the  support  of  the  divine  life,  renewed 
applications  must  every   day  h*^   made  to  Christ.     Thn  manna 


312  SERMON  XXVl. 

was  absolutely  necessary  to  the  life  of  the  Israelites  ;  without  it 
they  must  have  perished  ;  and,  my  brethren,  Christ  is  absolute- 
ly necessary  to  our  spiritual  life ;  without  him  our  souls  must 
perish  forever.  His  own  declaration,  never  to  be  forgotten,  is, 
Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  man, 
ye  have  no  life  in  you. 

The  rock  also,  with  the  water  flowing  from  it,  was  a  most 
signiiicant  emblem.  Christ  is  often,  in  the  scriptures,  called  a 
rock.  As  a  rock,  he  is  the  immoveable  foundation  of  the  churchy 
tJie  living  temple  of  the  living  God;  he  is  a  fortress  and  covert, 
a  secure  refuge  from  every  enemy,  from  every  storm,  from  eve- 
ry danger  ;  and  to  the  disobedient  and  unbelieving  he  is  a  stone 
of  stumbling  and  a  rock  of  offence. 

But  in  our  text,  Christ  is  contemplated  as  the  rock,  witb 
reference  especially  to  the  issuing  waters.  As  the  rock  at  Horeb 
was  itself  a  symbol  of  Christ,  the  waters  which  issued  from  it, 
were  emblematical  of  the  blessings  which  flow  from  him,  and 
especially  of  those  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  which  the 
divine  life,  with  all  its  consolations,  is  imparted  to  his  people, 
and  sustained  in  them.  In  order  to  the  flowing  of  the  waters, 
the  rock  was  smitten,  and  smitten  by  the  rod  of  Moses ;  so 
Christ,  in  order  that  the  blessings  of  salvation  might  flow  from 
him,  was  smitten  to  death,  and  thus  smitten  by  that  law  which 
Moses  promulgated,  and  the  curse  of  which  it  behooved  the 
Redeemer  to  endure.  As  the  waters  from  the  rock  served  both 
for  cleansing  and  for  life  ;  so  the  stream  which  issues  from 
Christ  is  at  once  for  spiritual  cleansing  and  immortal  hfe.  The 
waters  from  the  rock  were  not  limited  to  the  time  and  the  people 
then  present,  but  continued  to  flow  for  many  years,  and  for  the 
benefit  of  thousands,  who,  at  the  time  it  was  smitten,  were  un- 
born ;  and  the  streams  from  Christ  were  not  confined  to  those 
who  were  present  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in  Jerusalem  or  Judea, 
l)ut  they  have  flowed  down  from  generation  to  generation,  they 
follow  the  church  at  all  times  and  in  all  places,  and  impart  their 
benefits  to  every  age  and  nation.  The  waters  from  the  rock,  in 
fine,  were  abundant  and  free  ;  and  the  streams  of  salvation,  flow- 
ing from  Christ,  are  suflicient  for  the  cleansing  and  life  of  aJl  the 


SERMON  XXVI.  SI 8 

tamilies  and  nations  of  men  ;  and  the  proclamation  respecting; 
them  is,  Ho,  every  one  that  thirstcth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and 
he  that  hath  no  moneys  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy 
wine  and  m,ilk  without  money,  and  without  price. —  Whosoever 
will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely. 

But  the  spiritual  meat,  and  spiritual  rock,  of  which  the  peo- 
ple in  the  wilderness  ate  and  drank,  were  not  only  types  and 
emblems,  they  were  also  sacramental  seals  and  pledges  of  the 
blessings  of  eternal  salvation.  The  sacraments  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  are  at  once  symbols  of 
the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  seals  and  pledges  of 
them  :  and  such  too  were  the  sacramental  signs  of  the  ancient 
dispensation.  When  the  people  of  Israel  were  baptized  unto 
Moses,  in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea,  they  were  solemnly  conse- 
crated to  God ;  and  received  from  him  a  sacred  pledge,  that  if 
true  and  faithful,  they  should  forever  enjoy  the  privileges  of  his 
people.  And  the  bread  and  water,  afterwards  miraculously 
given,  were  additional  pledges,  to  all  the  truly  believing,  of  the 
hidden  manna,  and  the  pure  river  of  immortal  life.  The  spirit- 
ual bread  which  they  ate,  and  the  spiritual  drink  which  they 
drank,  while  they  symbolically  represented  Christ,  the  true  bread 
of  life,  and  the  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit  flowing  from  him,  sac- 
ramentally  also  sealed  to  all  who  partook  of  them  in  faith,  the 
sure  possession,  and  the  full  enjoyment,  of  those  high  and  im- 
mortal blessings. 

IMPROVEMENT, 

1.  The  church  of  God  under  the  antient  and  under  the  pres- 
ent dispensation  is  one,  and  the  covenant  has  been  in  all  ages  the 
same. 

The  people  of  Israel  were  baptized  unto  Moses,  who,  as  the 
servant  of  God,  was  faithful  in  all  his  house,  as  the  professing 
people  of  God  now  are  baptized  unto  Christ,  the  faithful  Son,  in 
his  own  house.  They  also  ate  of  the  same  spiritual  meat,  the 
manna,  the  type  of  the  true  bread  from  heaven,  and  drank  of 
the  same  spiritual  rock,  the  symbol  of  the  rock  of  salvation. 
As  that  bread  and  that  water  were  svmbojs  and  pledges  of  spiiit- 
40 


314  SERMON   XXVI. 

ual  blessings  by  Christ,  they  must  have  been  sacramental  seals 
of  the  same  covenant,  of  which  Christ  is  the  Mediator,  and 
which  is  now  the  grand  charter  of  his  church.  And  it  is  upon 
this  ground,  evidently,  that  the  apostle  here  refers  to  ancient 
Israel,  and  considers  the  things  which  happened  fo  them  as  en- 
samples  to  us,  vjjon  whom  the  ends  of  the  world  are  come.  Upon 
no  other  ground  could  his  argument  be  coherent,  or  his  warn- 
ings forcible  or  pertinent. 

2.  There  is  a  fulness  in  Christ  for  the  supply  of  all  our 
wants. 

For  almost  forty  years,  the  many  thousands  of  Israel  were 
supplied  in  the  wilderness,  whh  the  corn  of  heaven,  and  with 
the  water  from  the  rock  ;  and  during  that  period  their  clothes 
waxed  not  old  upon  them,  nor  their  shoes  upon  their  feet.  Christ, 
the  true  bread  from  heaven,  and  the  rock  from  which  the  waters 
of  salvation  flow,  is  all-sufficient ;  this  living  bread  shall  never 
fail,  these  living  waters  shall  never  cease  to  flow,  and  the  gar- 
ments of  salvation  supplied  by  Christ  will  never  wax  old.  The 
thousands  and  millions  of  his  people,  of  different  nations,  have 
been  supported  by  him  in  all  ages,  and  his  fulness  is  not  dimin- 
ished. The  spiritual  meat  and  spiritual  drink  are  still  exhibited, 
in  unhmited  plenitude.  They  are  freely  offered  to  all  people  of 
all  nations ;  and  the  time  is  coming,  when  they  shall  be  actually 
imparted  to  all  the  families  of  the  earth ;  when  the  bread  of  life 
shall  be  presented  in  abundance,  in  every  place  ;  when  the  wa- 
ters of  hfe  shall  be  given  in  the  wilderness,  and  rivers  in  the 
desert,  and  all  people  shall  eat,  and  drink,  and  be  satisfied. 
And  when  the  multitudes  of  the  redeemed  shall  have  passed 
through  the  wilderness,  and  reached  the  heavenly  Canaan,  thej 
shall  there  feast  forever  on  the  hidden  manna,  and  be  led  to  liv- 
ing fmintains  of  waters,  and  never  hunger  any  more,  neither 
thirst  any  more. 

3.  The  ordinances  of  Christ's  house  should  be  esteemed 
most  precious. 

In  his  ordinances,  he  is  set  forth  with  all  his  fulness  of  bless- 
ings ;  and  through  his  ordinances,  the  bread  and  water  of  life 
are  communicated  to  his  people.     In  tiiem,  indeed,  the  manna 


SERMON  XXVI.  315 

is  rained  round  about  our  tents ;  in  them,  the  rock  is  struck,  and 
the  waters  of  salvation  flow  :  and  if  we  come  to  them  hungering 
and  thirsting,  we  shall  never  be  sent  away  empty.  Who,  then, 
shall  esteem  the  table  of  the  Lord  contemptible  ?  Who  should 
not  earnestly  desire  to  participate  in  the  rich  and  immortal  pro- 
visions of  his  house  ?  All  who  truly  partake  of  these  provisions, 
shall  live  forever  j  all  who  despise  and  neglect  them  must  fainish 
and  perish. 

4.  For  all  who  attend  upon  divine  ordinances,  holy  fear  and 
caution  are  highly  suitable  and  important. 

This  is  the  instruction  which  the  apostle,  in  our  text  and 
context,  would  especially  inculcate.  It  is  for  this  purpose  that 
he  refers  to  the  example  of  ancient  Israel.  Of  the  two  or  three 
millions,  who  came  out  of  Egypt,  who  were  conducted  by  the 
cloud,  who  passed  through  the  Red  sea,  who  ale  of  the  corn  of 
heaven,  and  drank  of  the  water  from  the  rock,  only  two,  who  at 
the  time  of  their  leaving  Egypt  were  twenty  years  old,  were 
suffered  to  enter  into  the  promised  land.  They  provoked  the 
high  God  their  Redeemer,  and  their  carcasses  fell  in  the  wilder- 
ness. We  are  not  indeed  to  suppose,  that  they  were  all  exclud- 
ed from  heaven,  and  left  to  perish  forever  ;  for  Moses  and  Aaron, 
Hur  and  Miriam,  and  probably  many  others,  were  true  believers; 
and  though  not  permitted  to  enter  the  earthly  Canaan,  were  yet 
graciously  received  to  the  heavenly.  But  the  ensamples  pre- 
sented in  them  altogether,  are  a  solemn  warning  to  all  professors, 
to  all  who  attend  upon  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel ;  and  show 
that  even  true  believers  may  grievously  provoke  their  God  and 
Saviour ;  and  that  unbehevers,  though  they  may  attend  upon  all 
the  institutions  of  Christ's  house,  except  they  repent,  will  assur- 
edly perish.  Kot  every  one,  says  Christ,  loho  shall  say  unto  me 
Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  but  he  that 
doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven.  Many  shall  say 
unto  me,  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  eaten  and  drunk 
in  thy  presence,  and  thou  hast  taught  in  our  streets.  Then  will 
I  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you. 

Let  us  all  then,  my  brethren,  solemnly  attend  to  the  admo- 
nition of  the  apostle,  Let  him  that  fhinketh  he  standeth  take  heed 


316  SERMON   XXVI. 

lest  he  fall.  Let  us  not  be  high  minded  but  fear.  Whatever 
mercies  we  may  have  received,  whatever  privileges  we  may 
have  enjoyed,  let  us  remember  that  we  are  not  beyond  the  reach 
of  temptation.  We  may  have  escaped,  for  a  while,  the  pollutions 
of  the  world,  and  yet  be  again  entangled  therein  and  overcome. 
Let  all,  then,  take  heed,  lest  a  promise  being  left  of  entering  into 
rest,  they  shoidd,  by  any  means  come  short  of  it.  And  may  God 
give  us  grace  faithfully  to  do  his  will,  that  during  our  pilgrimage 
here  we  may  constantly  partake  of  bread  from  heaven,  and  wa- 
ter from  the  rock  ;  and  in  due  time  be  brought  to  the  place 
which  he  has  prepared  for  his  true  Israel,  the  Canaan  of  immor- 
tal rest,  and  joy,  and  praise.     Amen. 


SERMON    XX VII. 


THE    TEMPLE    OF    GOD. 


»®« 


1  Peter  ii.  4,  5. 

To  whom  coming,  as  unto  a  living  stone,  disallowed  indeed  of  men. 
but  chosen  of  God  and  precious,  ye  also,  as  lizcbj  stones,  are  built 
up  a  spiritual  house,  an  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacri- 
fices, acceptable  to  God  by  Jems  Christ. 

JlSELIEVERS  sustain  a  twofold  relation  to  Christ,  individu- 
al, and  collective.  Individually  they  have  a  union  to  him,  by 
virtue  of  which  they  become  partakers  of  the  benefits  of  his 
redemption,  and  heirs  of  the  heavenly  inheritance.  Collec- 
tively they  have  a  utiion  to  him,  by  virtue  of  which  they  be- 
come his  fulness,  or  completion.  In  their  primary  relation, 
the  apostle,  in  the  context,  considers  them  as  new  horn  babes  ; 
and  exhorts  them  earnestly  to  desiTC  the  sincere,  the  unadulter- 
ated, milk  of  the  word,  that  they  may  grow  thereby.  They  have 
been  bo7-n  again,  as  in  the  former  chapter  he  expresses  it,  not 
of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  even  by  the  word  of  God, 
which  liveth  and  abideth  forever;  and  the  same  living  word, 
which  was  tlie  means  by  which  the  divine  life  was  first  produc- 
ed in  them,  is  also  the  food,  by  which  that  life  is  to  be  nour- 
ished, and  by  which  they  are  to  be  advanced  to  the  stature  and 
maturity  of  perfect  men. — In  their  secondary  relation,  he  con- 
siders them  as  lively  stones  ;  and  exhorts  them  so  to  come  to 


31S  SERMON  XXVII. 

Christ,  as  to  be  built  up  on  liini  a  spirilual  house.  In  this  re- 
lation, behevers  are  sometimes  represented  as  constituting  a 
body,  of  which  Christ  is  the  head,  and  they,  severally,  are  mem- 
bers in  particular ;  and  as  a  head  without  a  body  is  not  com- 
plete, so  Christ's  m3^stical  body,  composed  of  his  believing 
people,  is  called  his  fulness,  or  completion.  But  the  figure,  by 
which  this  sublime  subject  is  more  commonly  represented,  is 
that  of  a  temple.  This  is  the  figure  employed  in  our  text.  Of 
this  temple,  Christ  is  the  foundation,  and  his  believing  people 
constitute  the  superstructure ;  and  the  apostle  would  have  be- 
lievers earnestly  desirous,  not  only  to  grow  up  to  maturity  as 
saints,  but  also  to  be  built  up,  as  materials  in  the  divine  temple. 
To  whom  coming,  as  unto  a  living  stone,  disallowed  indeed  of 
men,  hut  chosen  of  God  and  precious,  ye  also,  or,  be  ye  also,  as 
lively  stones,  built  up,  a  spiritual  house,  an  holy  priesthood,  to 
offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ. 
There  is  here,  undoubtedly,  an  allusion  to  the  temple  at  Jerusa- 
lem, whose  foundation  was  most  firm,  whose  superstructure  was 
most  magnificent,  and  whose  sacerdotal  service  was  most  impor- 
tant. That  temple  w^as  an  emblem  of  the  church,  the  glorious 
temple  which  Christ  is  rearing, /or  an  habitation  of  God  through 
the  Spirit.  Of  this  spiritual  temple,  then,  let  us  now  more  dis- 
tinctly consider, — the  foundation — the  superstructure — and  the 
holy  services. 

I.  We  are  to  consider  the  foundation. 

The  foundation  is  Christ ;  and,  as  the  foundation,  he  is  de- 
signated as  a  stone,  a  living  stone,  disallowed  indeed  of  men,  hut 
chosen  of  God,  and  precious.  The  apostle  here  quotes,  with 
some  variation,  a  memorable  prophetick  passage  in  the  xxviiith 
of  Isaiah  :  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a  foundation  a  stone,  a 
tried  stone,  a  precious  corner  stone.  Other  foundation,  says  the 
apostle  Paul,  can  no  man  lay,  than  that  is  laid,  ivhich  is  Jesus 
Christ. 

He  is  the  foundation  of  safety  and  happiness,  to  every  in- 
dividual of  his  people  ;  the  only  foundation,  on  ^vhich  any  of 
our  fallen  race  can  safely  build  their  hopes  for  eternity.  "Eve- 
ry thing  else,  is  sliding  sand,  is  yielding  air,  is  breaking  bubble." 


SERMON  XXVII.  31^ 

But  Christ  is  b.  rock;  a  rock,  solid,  stable,  durable;  a  rock, 
whose  nature  is  unchangeable,  whose  strength  is  unfailing,  whose 
extent  is  immeasurable.  Fixed  on  this  foundation,  the  weakest 
believer  may  stand,  unshaken  and  undismayed,  amidst  all  the 
storms  of  life,  amidst  all  the  assaults  of  hell,  amidst  the  menacing 
terrors  of  death,  amidst  the  wreck  of  dissolving  worlds,  and  all 
the  tremendous  scenes  of  the  fmal  day. — Fixed  on  this  rock,  the 
church  is  secure.  The  foundation  is  of  sufficient  strength  and 
extent  to  support  it,  through  time,  and  to  eternity,  with  all  its 
countless  numbers,  and  all  its  momentous  interests.  On  this 
foundation  it  has  been  rising  and  increasing  through  successive 
ages,  ever  since  the  days  of  Adam  ;  yet  the  foundation  remains 
unmoved  ;  and  it  will  remain  unmoved,  when  all  the  nations  of 
the  redeemed  shall  be  built  up  upon  it  and  compacted,  and  the 
top  stone  shall  he  brought  forth  u'ith  shoutings,  Grace,  grace 

UNTO  IT. 

A  living  stone. — Christ  is  a  living  stone,  as  he  has  life  in 
himself;  hfe  essential,  indestructible,  inexhaustible  ;  and  as  he  is 
the  fountain  of  life  to  all  who  are  built  upon  him.  The  church 
is  a  living  temple  ;  all  who  compose  it  are  lively,  or  living 
stones ;  but  the  life  of  the  whole  is  derived  from  Christ  the 
foundation. — He  may,  also,  be  fitly  called  a  living  stone,  on  ac- 
count of  the  lively  and  attractive  energy,  which  resides  in  him, 
and  by  which  the  stones,  designed  for  the  temple  of  his  grace, 
are  drawn  to  him,  and  fixed  upon  him.  Unto  lohom  coming,  as 
unto  a  living  stone ; — a  mighty  magnet,  whose  powerful  attrac- 
tion irresistibly  draws  you.  Such  an  attractive  power  unques- 
tionably resides  in  Christ ;  is  felt  by  his  people  ;  and  is  that,  by 
which  alone  any  are  drawn,  or  made  to  come,  to  him.  And  T, 
said  he,  if  I  be  lifted  up,  be  exhibited  upon  the  cross  as  an  aton- 
ing sacrifice,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me. — Here  the  whole  mys- 
tery is  disclosed.  If  I  be  lifted  up, — be  exhibited  as  a  propitia- 
tion for  sin.  Christ  crucified  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salva- 
tion ;  Christ  crucified  is  the  foundation  of  hope  to  fallen  men. 
The  rock  of  Horeb  must  be  smitten,  or  it  will  yield  no  streams- 
for  the  life  of  the  famishing  tribes.  The  rock  of  salvation  must 
be  smitten,  or  the  fountain  v^ill  not  be  opened  for  th^^  lifn  of  the 


320  SERMON   XXVll. 

world.  /,  says  Christ,  I  am  he  that  Uveth,  and  was  dead  ;  and 
behold  I  am  alive  forevermore.  He  died  for  our  sins;  he  was 
raised  again  for  our  justification  ;  he  ever  Uveth  to  make  inter- 
session  for  us.  Hence  it  is,  that  he  is  the  living  rock  of  our 
sah^ation.  In  him  crucified,  infinite  love  and  grace  are  display- 
ed ;  love  and  grace,  whose  powerful  attractions  should  alone,  it 
would  seem,  draw  all  men  to  him.  But  in  addhion  to  this,  he- 
cause  he  made  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin,  it  hath  pleased  the 
Father  that  in  him  all  fulness  should  dwell.  In  him  dwells  the 
Holy  Spirit  without  measure,  hy  whose  quickening  influences 
men  are  made  alive  to  the  attractions  of  his  love.  Drawn  by 
these  influences,  and  by  the  power  of  this  love,  they  come  to 
hhn  as  to  a  living  stone  ;  a  rock,  which  has  life  in  itself,  and 
which  imparts  life  to  all  that  come  to  it — to  the  whole  temple 
of  God,  that  is  built  upon  it. 

This  living  stone  is  disallowed  indeed  of  men.  It  is  the  stone 
which  the  builders,  the  proud  pharisees,  and  priests,  and  rulers 
rejected.  Christ  crucified  is  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling  block,  and 
to  the  Greeks  foolishness.  In  all  ages  and  places,  this  stone  has 
been  disallowed  by  the  unbelieving  world.  By  multitudes  it  is 
utterly  disowned  and  discarded  ;  and  any  other  foundation  is 
preferred  to  this.  Many  also,  who  call  Christ  Lord,  and  pro- 
fessedly own  him  for  their  Saviour,  yet  do  not  build  on  him  as 
the  foundation.  They  make  their  own  supposed  merit  the 
basis  of  their  hope  of  salvation  through  Christ.  They  hope  that 
God  will  save  them  for  Christ's  sake,  because  they  are  so  good 
as  to  deserve  some  favour  from  him.  They  hope  that  Christ's 
righteousness  will  supply  whatever  may  be  defective  in  their 
own.  They  place  their  own  works,  which  their  ignorance  and 
vanity  call  good,  at  the  bottom,  and  have  recourse  to  Christ's 
merits  only  as  supplementary.  "  This  is  to  lay  a  foundation  of 
stone  upon  a  quicksand  ;"  it  is  disallowing  Christ  as  the  foun- 
dation, the  chief  corner  stone.  Yet,  alas,  what  multitudes  are 
chargeable  with  this.  What  multitudes  are  employed  in  rear- 
ing up  houses  upon  the  sand  ;  houses  as  frail  as  "  the  baseless 
fabrick  of  a  vision;"  and  which  the  hastening  tempest  will  as- 
suredly demolish.     What  folly,  what  madness  is  this  ;    when 


SERMON  XXVIL  321 

God  has  laid  in  Z ton  for  a  foundation,  a  stone,  a  tried  stoiic,  a 
precious  corner  stone,  a  sure  foundation. 

This  rock,  though  rejected  by  men,  is  chosen  of  God.  The 
salvation  of  mankind  is  according  to  the  eternal  purpose  of  God, 
which  he  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began.  The 
temple  of  his  grace,  which  is  reared  up  from  the  ruins  of  our 
fallen  world,  was  designed  by  him  for  his  own  glorious  habitation. 
He  appointed  the  foundation  ;  he  planned  the  superstructure  ; 
the  whole  work  is  of  his  will.  Christ  crucified  is  the  power  of 
God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God.  The  stone  which  the  builders  re- 
fused is  become  the  head  stone  of  the  corner.  This  is  the  Lord's 
doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes.  I^et  men  think  as  they 
may  ;  other  foundation  can  no  one  lay  than  that  which  is  laid. 
It  is  such  a  foundation  as  God  saw  fit  to  lay ;  such  an  one  as  he 
saw  necessary,  for  the  salvation  of  men,  and  for  the  support  of 
his  temple  ;  and  while  this  consideration  should  warn  men  to 
beware  how  they  reject  or  neglect  this  living  stone,  it  should 
afford  sti'ong  consolation  to  all  who  come  to  it  for  life,  and  are 
built  up  in  the  temple  which  rests  upon  it.  To  them  he  saith, 
Behold  my  servant  whom  I  uphold,  mine  elect  in  ivhom  rny  soul 
delighteth  ;  behold  him  as  a  sure  foundation.  He  that  believeth 
in  him  shall  not  be  confounded. 

This  foundation  stone  is  precious — Christ  is  precious  in  him- 
self, as  possessing  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,  the  sura 
total  of  all  divine  excellencies ;  and  as  clothed  also,  in  his  hu- 
man nature,  with  all  the  virtues  of  man,  in  consummate  perfec- 
tion. He  is  the  select  of  ten  thousand,  altogether  lovely. — 
He  is  precious  to  the  Father ;  the  Son  of  his  love,  who  was  in 
his  bosom  before  the  worlds  were  made ;  and  who  came  from 
heaven,  in  obedience  to  his  will,  and  suffered  and  died  for  the 
glory  of  his  name. — He  is  precious  to  angels.  They  hailed  his 
advent  to  our  world,  with  the  most  grateful  and  rapturous  anthem  ; 
they  look  with  ecstacy  into  the  wonders  of  his  grace  ;  they  fly 
with  delight  to  fulfil  his  commands  respecting  the  heirs  of  salva- 
tion ;  they  honour  the  Son  even  as  they  honour  the  Father. — He 
is  precious  to  them  that  believe  : — Precious  in  his  personal 
beauties  and  excellencies — precious  in  his  mediatorial  offices— ^ 
41 


322  SERMON   XX VII. 

precious  in  his  atoning  blood  and  meritorious  righteousness — 
precious  in  the  riches  of  his  couiniunicated  grace — precious  as 
tlie  foundation  of  tlieir  hopes,  as  the  rock  which  supports  tlie 
glorious  temple  of  God,  of  which  they  are  component  parts. — 
Precious  indeed  must  such  a  foundation  be,  to  those  who  have 
once  felt  themselves  to  be  sinking  into  the  abyss  of  darkness  and 
of  wo;  precious  to  those  who  see  that  without  this  rock  there 
could  have  been  no  hope  for  them,  or  for  any  of  mankind  j 
precious  to  those  who  feel  that,  fixed  upon  this  rock,  they  have 
nothing  to  fear  from  earth  or  hell,  from  death  or  the  judgment, 
in  time  or  in  eternity  ;  precious  to  those  who  prefer  the  ten)pie 
of  God  above  their  chief  joy,  and  contemplate  with  delight,  its 
stability  and  safety,  amidst  all  the  shocks  of  time,  and  its  certain 
consummation,  as  the  glory  of  Christ  and  the  joy  of  the  universe. 
It  is  a  tried  stone.  Already  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand 
have  built  their  hopes  upon  it,  and  none  of  them  have  been  con- 
founded.— It  is  a  sure  foundation.  Under  the  pressure  of  the 
rising  church,  and  amidst  the  assaults  of  earth  and  hell,  for  six 
thousand  years,  it  has  never  been  shaken.  It  is  the  same  living 
stone  yesterday^  and  today,  and  forever.  Surely,  such  a  stone, 
such  a  foundation,  must  be  precious. — Such  is  the  foundation  o( 
the  spiritual  temple  of  God.     We  are, 

11.  To  consider  the  superstructure.  To  ivhom  coming  as 
unto  a  living  stone, ye  also,  as  lively  stones,  are 

BUILT  UP  A   SPIRITUAL  HOUSE. 

Ye  also,  as  lively  stones. — Those,  to  whom  the  aposde  ad- 
dresses himself,  are  such  as  he  calls  elect,  according  to  ihefore- 
knoivledge  of  God  the  Father,  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit 
unto  obedience,  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ ; 
such  as  the  apostle  Paul,  in  the  viiith  of  Romans,  says,  God  had 
predestinated  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son  ;  such  as 
he  also  says,  in  the  1st  of  Ephesians,  God  had  chosen  in  Christ 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  they  shoidd  be  holy,  and 
without  blame  before  him  in  love.  The  materials,  then,  for  the 
superstructure  of  this  spiritual  temple  are  such  of  mankind  ashy 
sovereign  grace,  and  according  to  the  purpose  of  everlasting  love. 


SERMON   XX VII.  323 

have  been  created  anew,  after  the  image  of  God,  and  called  unto 
glory  and  virtue. 

The  epithet  living,  is  often  used  in  scripture  to  denote  pe- 
cuUar  excellency  ;  and  the  materials  for  die  temple,  here  called 
living  stones,  are,  in  Isaiah,  called  agates,  carbuncles,  sapphires, 
and  pleasant  stones.  The  foundation  is  a  precious  stone, — super- 
latively, incomparably  precious  ;  and  the  materials  of  the  super- 
structure are  precious,  being  made  conformable  to  the  foundation. 
But  if  the  epithet  living  denotes  peculiar  excellency,  it  imports  also 
something  more.  As  Christ  has  life  in  himself,  so  he  imports  life 
to  his  people,  and  says  to  theu),  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also. 
As  he  is  a  living  stone,  so,  also,  by  his  quickening  energy,  they 
are  made  living  stones.  Naturally,  indeed,  they  were  dead  ; 
dead,  even  as  others,  m  trespasses  and  sins.  Naturally,  they  lay 
in  the  great  mass  of  human  ruins ;  themselves  ruined,  and  desti- 
tute of  spiritual  life,  and  of  spiritual  beauty,  like  the  rest.  Bui, 
as  the  stones  for  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  were  selected  and  taken 
from  the  quaries  in  their  rude  and  rough  state,  and  hewed,  and 
squared,  and  polished,  and  fitted  for  their  respective  places  in 
that  magnificent  edifice  ;  so  are  these  materials,  by  the  great 
Master  Builder,  selected  and  taken  from  the  common  mass  of 
our  ruined  nature,  and  created  anew,  made  living  stones,  trans- 
formed into  his  likeness,  and  fitted  for  their  respective  places  in 
his  glorious  spiritual  temple. 

Thus  selected  and  fitted,  they  come  to  the  foundation. 
Quickened  by  the  life  giving  energy  of  Christ,  they  come  volun- 
tarily to  him ;  formed  to  an  affinity  with  tlie  foundation  stone, 
they  spontaneously  yield  themselves  to  the  powerful  attraction. 

To  whom  coming,  they  are  built  rip.  As  they  are  fitted, 
each  one  for  a  particular  place  ;  so,  by  the  unerring  attraction, 
whose  influence  they  obey,  they  come,  one  after  another,  into 
their  respective  places  in  the  stupendous  building.  Thus  they 
are  built  \ip  :  built  upon  the  sure  foundation,  m  whom,  says 
Paul,  all  the  building  fitly  framed  together,  groioeth  unto  an  holy 
temple  in  the  Lord.  It  is  fitly  framed  together.  Every  stone 
has  its  proper  place,  a  place  to  which  it  has  a  particular  adapt- 
edness  ;  and  between  each  stone,  and  those  in  contact  with  it, 


324  SERMON   XXVII. 

there  is  a  reciprocal  affinity  and  correspondency.  The  building 
also  GROWETH  iiito  an  holy  temple.  It  grows  by  the  accession 
of  one  stone  after  another  ;  and  it  grows  by  the  gradual  and  cor- 
respondent increase  of  all  the  component  parts.  They  grow  in 
fitness  to  their  proper  places,  and  they  grow  in  dimensions. 

Believers  are  not,  all  at  once,  made  perfect.  Though  re- 
newed by  divine  grace,  after  the  image  of  Christ,  they  are  not, 
at  once,  completely  conformed  to  his  image.  While  in  this 
world  indeed,  they  are  in  many  respects  unlike  him  ;  they  have 
many  and  great  imperfections — many  and  great  deformities. 
But  by  the  means  which  he  uses  with  them,  and  by  the  influen- 
ces of  his  Spirit  continually  operating  in  them,  they  grow  in 
knowledge  and  in  grace,  and  into  a  gradually  increasing  confor- 
mity to  him.  To  resume  the  figure  of  the  text,  when,  as  ma- 
terials for  the  temple  of  God,  they  are  first  taken  from  the  com- 
mon mass  of  the  w^orld,  though  created  anew,  made  living  stones, 
and  in  some  degree  fitted  for  the  building ;  yet  they  are  not 
wrought  into  perfect  form  and  smoothness,  but  still  have,  and  too 
many  of  them  long  continue  to  have,  much  unshapeliness  and 
roughness.  But,  under  the  hand  of  the  great  Master  Builder, 
they  are  growing  into  better  proportion — are  becoming  more  and 
move  polished  after  the  similitude  of  a  palace,  and  are  more  and 
more  fitted  to  their  respective  places  in  the  building.  They  are, 
also,  growing  in  size.  As  living  stones,  they  are  constantly  ex- 
panding their  dimensions,  and  advancing  towards  the  measure  of 
the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ.  All  this,  with  some  varia- 
tion of  figure,  is  strongly  and  beautifidly  represented  by  Paul 
to  the  Ephesians.  He  gave  some,  Apostles  ;  and  some,  Proph- 
ets ^  and  some.  Evangelists  ;  and  some,  Pastors  and  Teachers; 
for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for 

the  edifying,  or  building,  of  the  body  of  Christ :  that  we 

may  grow  up  into  him  in  all  things  ivho  is  the  head,  even  Christ ; 
from  whom  the  whole  body  fitly  joined  together,  and  compacted 
by  that  tvhich  every  joint  supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual 
working  in  the  measure  of  every  part,  maketh  increase  of  the 
body,  unto  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love.  Love  is  the  vital  prin- 
ciple of  this  glorious  temple,  both  of  tlie  foundation,  and  ol  the 


SERMON  XXVll.  325 

superstructure.  It  is  by  love,  that  the  stones  are  drawn  to  the 
foundation  ;  it  is  by  love,  that  they  are  brought  into  their  proper 
places  in  the  building  ;  it  is  by  love,  that  they  are  gradually 
formed  to  their  due  proportions  and  polish  ;  and  it  is  b}^  love, 
that  the  whole  edifice  is  compacted  and  cemented.  By  love, 
unceasingly  emanating  from  the  living  foundation,  and  pervading 
all  the  lively  materials  built  upon  it,  the  glorious  superstructure 
is  continually  growing  in  proportionate  dimensions,  in  symmetry, 
in  compactness,  and  in  beauty  ;  and  it  will  continue  thus  to  grow, 
until  every  stone  shall  be  perfect  in  its  place,  every  defect  shall 
be  supplied,  every  deformity  shall  disappear,  and  this  temple  of 
God  shall  be  the  perfection  of  beauty,  and  the  joy  and  glory  of 
the  universe. — Such  is  the  fabrick  of  the  temple ;  and  let  us  now, 

III.  Consider  its  holy  services.  It  is  built  up  a  spiritual 
house,  an  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  accept- 
able to  God  by  Jesus  Christ. 

There  is  here  a  change  of  figure.  The  temple  itself  is  a 
priesthood  ;  the  stones  of  it,  severally,  are  priests.  The  transi- 
tion is  more  natural  and  easy,  tlian  at  first  it  might  seem,  for  the 
temple  is  a  spiritual  house,  and  the  materials  are  living  stones. 
A  temple  is  designed  for  worship ;  and  the  whole  of  worship  is 
often,  and  not  improperly,  represented  by  sacrifices.  The  tem- 
ple at  Jerusalem,  which  was  a  type  at  once  of  Christ,  and  of 
his  church,  had  its  priesthood  ;  and  the  sacrifices  oiFered  by 
them  constituted  its  principal  worship. 

Christ  himself  is  a  priest,  the  great  High  Priest;  and  the 
sacrifice  offered  by  him,  when  through  the  eternal  Spirit  he  pre- 
sented himself  without  spot  to  God,  to  obtain  eternal  redemption 
for  us,  was  an  act  of  worship  infinitely  higher,  more  pleasing, 
and  of  greater  honour  to  God,  than  all  the  worship  of  eartli  and 
of  heaven  beside.  His  people  are  priests  ;  a  kingdom  of  priests. 
By  the  merits  of  his  sacrifice,  they  are  redeemed  from  sin  and 
from  death, — are  brought  near  to  God, — have  boldness  to  enter 
into  the  holiest, — and  obtain  a  gracious  acceptance  in  their  sac- 
rifices. 

Of  his  character,  or  office  of  Priest,  Christ  is  not  divested, 
by  becoming  the  foundation  of  the  spiritual  temple  of  God  ;  nor 


326  SERMON    XXVII. 

do  his  people  cease  to  be  jiriests,  by  being  built  up  as  living 
stones  m  this  temple.  He  remaineth  a  j^riest  forever,  and  ever 
liveth  to  make  intercession ; — and  they,  as  priests,  are  formed 
into  a  spiritual  temple,  that,  in  union  with  him,  and  with  one 
another,  they  may  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices  tlie  more  accepta- 
ble to  God.  By  him,  fiist  presenting  their  bodies  a  living  sacri- 
fice, holy,  and  acceptable,  they  ofter  continually  the  sacrifices  of 
supplication,  intercession,  thanksgiving,  and  praise,  on  their  own 
behalf,  and  on  behalf  of  all  men  ;  together  with  such  other  vari- 
ous acts  of  obedience  and  service,  as,  in  their  respective  places, 
God,  for  the  glory  of  his  name,  is  pleased  to  receive  from  them. 
As  the  spiritual  house  advances — as  the  holy  priesthood  in- 
creases,— the  spiritual  sacrifices  increase.  All  the  holy  sacrifices 
of  all  the  saints,  of  those  now  in  heaven  and  those  now  on  parth, 
from  that  of  Abel  to  that  of  the  last  individual  built  up  as  a  lively 
stone  in  the  temple,  are  presented  togetiier  by  the  great  High 
Priest,  with  much  incense,  before  the  throne.  When  the  temple 
shall  be  completed,  its  sacrifices,  its  whole  worship  will  be  per- 
formed in  the  highest  perfection.  With  countless  millions  of 
voices  uniting  in  one,  all  the  stones  of  the  stupendous  superstruc- 
ture, will  ofi:er  the  sacrifices  of  praise  in  the  immortal  songs  : 
Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own 
blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his 
Father^  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever. — Bless- 
inp-,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  he  unto  him  that  sitteth 
upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  forever  and  ever.  The 
temple  will  be  perfumed  with  sweetest  incense,  and  filled  with 
the  effulgence  of  divine  glory  ;  and  the  whole  universe  will  see 
its  light,  will  hear  its  songs,  and  will  admire  its  grandeur,  its 
beauty,  and  its  blessedness. 

REFLECTIONS. 

1.  How  thankful  should  we  be  for  the  foundation  which  God 
bas  laid  in  Zion. 

Without  such  a  foundation,  what  should  we  do  ?  In  this 
world,  nothing  is  abiding,  nothing  is  secure.  Our  foundation 
here  is  in  the  dust.     The  brightest  earddy  scenes  suddeidy  van- 


SERMON   XXV II.  327 

ish  ;  the  fairest  earthly  prospects  are  desolated  ;  the  best  earthly 
hopes  perish ;  the  fashion  of  this  loorld  passeth  away.  Our 
fallen  nature  lies  in  ruins ;  and  but  for  the  rock  of  salvation, 
it  would  sink,  and  sink,  in  the  abyss  of  darkness  and  of  wo,  with- 
out hope. — Brethren,  we  need  a  foundation  ;  a  foundatioji  strons:, 
durable,  sure  ;  one  on  which  we  may  safely  fix  ourselves,  our 
interests,  and  our  hopes,  for  eternity.  Such  a  foundation  is  here 
exhibited.  The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected  is  become  the 
head  stone  of  the  corner.  This  is  the  Lord''s  doing ;  it  is  mar- 
vellous in  our  eyes.  IMost  devoutly  then  should  we  say.  Save 
now,  we  beseech  thee,  O  Lord  ;  O  Lord,  tve  beseech  thee,  send 
now  prosperity.  God  is  the  Lord,  who  hath  showed  us  light ; 
bind  the  sacrifice  with  cords,  even  unto  the  horns  of  the  altar. — 
O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good  :  for  his  mercy  en- 
dureth  forever. 

2.  We  may  see  what  every  particular  church  should  be. 
The  people  indeed,  to  whom  the   apostle  addressed  himself 
in  our  text,  were  not  built  up  together  in  one  visible  church  ;  but 
were  strangers,  scattered  abroad  throughout  Pontus,  Galatia, 
Cappadocia,  Asia,  and  Bithynia.     Yet  he  speaks  of  their  being 
built  up  a  spiritual  house.     By  this  spiritual  temple  dien  we  are 
to  understand,  not  a  visible  congregation  or  society  of  professed 
believers,   but  the  invisible  church  of  Christ ;  the  great  body  of 
his  true  people,  of  all  nations  and  ages.     To  the  scriptural  rep- 
resentations,   however,   of  the   invisible  church,   every   visible 
church   should  bear  a  resemblance.     It  should  be   built  on  the 
foundation  which  God  hath  chosen  ;  on  Jesus  Christ  as  the  chief 
corner  stone  ;  it  should  be  composed  of  true   believers  in  him  ; 
of  such  as  are  living  stones; — it  should  he  fitly  framed  together 
and  compacted,  that  it  may  increase   to  the  edifying  of  itself  in 
love,  and  be  built  up  a  spiritual  house,  an  holy  priesthood,  to 
offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,   acceptable   to  God  by  Jesus  Christ. 
Happy  for  themselves,  my  brethren,  happy  for  the  world  which 
lieth   in   wickedness,   were   all  the  churches  formed  upon  this 
model,  and  did  all  the   meinbers  siiow  themselves  to  be  lively 
■Atones,  fitly  framed  into  the  holy  building  ! 


32S  SERMON   XXVIl. 

3.  We  may  see  in  a  clear  light  an  important  duty,  incum- 
bent on  all  true  believers. 

They  are  all  living  stones,  and  have  their  several  places  in 
the  spiritual  temple  of  God.     But  they  should  not  rest  satisfied 
with   their   present   attainments.     They    should   be  constantly 
coining  to  Christ,  that  they  may  receive  renewed  life  from  him  ; 
and  may  grow  in  knowledge,  in  love,  in  all  holiness,  and  in  fitness 
for  their  respective  places  in  his  temple.     They  should  come  to 
him,  in  all  the  ways  of  his  appointment.     They  should  join  them- 
selves to  him,   and  to  his   people  in  a  perpetual  covenant,   as 
members  of  his  visible  church,   gratefully  feeling  and  acknowl- 
edging, that  there  is  one  bod}^,  and  one  Spirit,  even  as  they  are 
called  in  one   hope  of  their  calling.     This  is  his   declared  will, 
and  a.  compliance  with  it  is  of  high  importance.     It  is  important 
for  them,  in  order  that  they  may   feel  a  more   lively   and   affec- 
tionate union  to  him,  and  to  his  people  ;  that  they  may  be  pol- 
ished after  the  similitude  of  a  palace,   and  be  fitly  framed  into 
his  temple  ;  and  that  they  may  have  the  benefit  of  all  his  ordi- 
nances, for  their  edification  in  knowledge,  and  faith,  and  holiness. 
It  is  important  for  the  church,   that  it  may  be  strengthened,  and 
increased  with  the  increase  of  God,     And  it  is  important  for  the 
honour  and  the  cause  of  Christ,  that  they  may  be  promoted,  by 
their  confessing   him  before  men,   making  it  manifest  that  they 
are  not  ashamed  of  him,  or  of  his  words,   showing  their  love  to 
those  whom  he  loves,  and  obediently  doing  whatsoever  he  com- 
mands them.     And  in  a  church   state,  believers   should  deeply 
feel  their  sacred  relation  to  him,  and  to  one  another;  bear  in 
constant  and  lively  remembrance  their  high  and  holy  vocation  ; 
and  make  it  their  assiduous  care  and  endeavour  to  keep  the  unity 
of  the  spirit,  that  their  prayers  he  not  hindered,  that  they  may 
grow  up  together  into  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord. 

My  brethren,  what  and  where  are  we  ^  Are  we  lively  stones 
built  up  in  the  temple  of  God,  on  the  sure  foundation  .''  Have 
we  come  to  this  living  stone,  and  fixed  ourselves,  with  all  our 
hopes,  upon  it?  Do  we  feel  its  quickening  influence,  audits 
powerful  attraction  ?  Are  we  fitly  framed  into  this  sacred  temple, 
and  is  it  our  highest  joy  to  see  it  increase  unto  the  edifying  of 


SERMON   XX\1I.  329 

itself  in  love?  Do  we  feel  a  union  to  this  holy  priesthood^  and 
bear  a  part  in  its  spiritual  sacrifices,  which  are  acceptable  to  Gael 
by  Jesus  Christ  9  How  gracious,  how  glorious  is  the  word, 
Him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  mil 
God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out ! — Not  less  solemn  and  dread- 
ful is  the  warning,  subjoined  to  the  words  of  the  prophet,  to 
which  allusion  is  had  in  our  text.  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a 
foundation,  a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious  corner  stone,  a  sure 
foundation  ;  he  that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste.  Judgment 
also  will  1  lay  to  the  line,  and  righteousness  to  the  plummet ;  and 
the  hail  shall  sweep  away  the  refuges  of  lies,  and  the  waters  shall 
overflow  the  hiding  places. — Yes,  my  hearers,  the  storm  is  cou)- 
ing !  a  storm,  which  will  sweep  away  every  earthly  foundatioa 
and  refuge,  and  overwhelm  this  entire  globe  with  a  destruction, 
more  terrible  than  that  of  the  ancient  deluge.  In  that  dread 
day,  while  all,  who  are  founded  on  the  living  Rock,  will  abide 
in  safety  ;  upon  all,  who  are  not  thus  founded, /ear  will  come  as 
desolation,  and  destruction  as  a  whirlwind,  and  plunge  them,  ir- 
recoverably, into  the  abyss  of  perdition.  He  that  hath  an  ear, 
let  him  hear.  And  may  God  command  his  blessing,  fov  Jesu<=i 
Christ's  sake.  Amen. 
42 


SERMON    XXVIII. 


PRIVILEGES    OF    BELIEVERS    UNDER    THE    GOSPSL. 


i©* 


Hebrews  xii.  22,  23,  24. 

But  ye  are  come  unto  mount  Zion^  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God^ 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem^  and  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels^ 
to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born.,  which  are  writ- 
ten in  heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all.,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just 
men  made  perfect,  and  to  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant^ 
and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better  things  than  that 
of  Abel. 

1  HE  church  of  the  redeemed  we  are  warranted  to  consider 
as  the  chief  work  of  God  ;  designed  by  him  to  make  known  to 
the  principalities  and  powers  in  Jieavenly  places  his  manifold 
wisdom.  In  all  the  varied  lights,  therefore,  in  which  it  is  pre- 
sented to  us  in  the  scriptures,  it  is  an  object  of  highly  interesting 
and  useful  contemplation.  Such,  especially,  must  it  be,  if 
rightly  viewed,  in  the  light  of  the  passage  now  before  us. 

In  the  writings  of  Paul,  the  superiour  excellency  of  the 
present,  or  gospel  dispensation  above  the  ancient,  or  legal 
economy,  is  repeatedly  asserted  and  displayed.  If,  says  he,  in 
his  second  letter  to  the  Corinthians,  if  the  ministration  of  death, 
written  and  engraven  in  stones,  was  glorious,  so  that  the  children 
of  Israel  could  not  steadfastly  behold  the  face  of  Moses  for  the 
glory  of  his  countenance,  which  glory  was  to  be  done  away  ;  how 
shall  not  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  be  rather  glorious  9    For 


SERMON   XXVlll.  331 

if  the  Viinistraiion  of  condemnation  be  glory,  much  more  doth 
the  ministration  of  righteousness  exceed  in  glory.  For  even 
that  which  was  made  glorious  had  no  glory  in  this  respect,  by 
reason  of  the  glory  which  excelleth.  Correspondent  to  this  rep- 
resentation is  tlie  strikingly  contrasted  view  which  he  gives  us 
of  the  two  dispensations,  in  our  text  and  context,  and  by  which 
he  would  enforce  the  duties  of  the  christian  vocation.  For  the 
character  of  the  ancient  dispensation,  he  refers  U6  to  the  memo- 
rable and  tremendous  scenery  of  Sinai :  to  the  mountain  that 
might  be  touched,  and  that  burned  with  fire — the  blackness,  and 
darkness,  and  tempest — the  sound  of  a  trumpet — the  voice  of 
coords — the  sight  so  terrible  as  to  make  ./l/oses  himself  exceed- 
ingly to  fear  and  quake.  To  this  terribly  majestick  scenery 
behevers,  under  the  present  dispensation,  are  not  coine.  But 
they  are  come  unto  mount  Zion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living 
God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innumerable  company  of 
angels,  to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born, 
ivhich  are  written  in  heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and  to 
the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and  to  Jesus  the  Mediator  of 
the  new  covenant,  and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling  that  speakeih 
better  things  than  that  of  Mel.  How  surpassingly  glorious,  and 
yet  how  mild  and  benign  is  this  representation  of  the  evan- 
gelical economy. 

Each  clause  of  the  text  affords  a  subject  for  high  contem- 
plation, and  requires  to  be  distinctly  considered.  Under  the 
present  dispensation,  believers  are  come  unto  mount  Zion,  tht 
city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem — they  are  come 
to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels — they  are  come  to  the  gen- 
eral assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born  which  are  written  in 
heaven — they  are  come  to  God  the  Judge  of  all — they  are  come 
to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect — they  are  come  to  Jesus 
the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling, 
that  speaketh  better  things  than  that  of  Mel.  Xliese  several 
particulars  will  be  considered  in  their  order. 

I.  Under  the  present  dispensation,  believers  are  come  unto 
mount  Zion,    the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem. 

These  names,  or  descriptive  phrases,  are  difierent  designa- 


S32  SERMON   XXVIII. 

lions  of  the  same  grarul  object,  and  severally  denote  the  church 
of  the  redeemed.  But  why  are  these  names  given  to  the 
church  ? 

The  ancient  royal  residence  of  David,  the  renowned  king 
of  Israel,  and  type  of  the  Messiah,  was  sometimes  called  Zion, 
or  mount  Zion  ,  it  was  also  called  the  holy  city,  or  the  city  of 
God ;  because  it  was  the  place  where  God  had  chosen  to  re- 
cord his  name,  and  to  meet  his  people  in  the  publick  solemnities 
of  his  worship  ;  but  its  most  common  name  was  Jerusalem. 
Jerusalem,  indeed,  was  the  name  of  the  whole  place  ;  but  Zion, 
properly  so  called,  was  only  a  part  of  Jerusalem,  a  city  within 
a  city. 

Zion  proper,  which  was  distinctively  called  the  city  of  Da- 
vid, was  of  a  circular  form,  and  built  upon  a  hill  or  mountain, 
one  part  of  which  was  called  Moriah.  It  was  surrounded  with 
a  broad  and  deep  trench,  hewn  by  nature  or  art,  out  of  the 
natural  rock,  and  defended  by  a  wall  of  great  strength,  built 
upon  the  edge  of  tlie  rock,  with  towers  at  regular  distances. 
On  the  centre  and  summit  of  the  hill  stood  the  royal  palace,  in 
which  David  dwelt.  The  streets  of  the  city  were  some  of  them 
circular,  passing  regularly  round  the  hill,  one  below  an  other, 
and  the  rest,  like  so  many  radii,  proceeded  from  the  centre,  or 
top  of  the  hill,  down  to  the  circular  wall  which  enclosed  the 
whole.  As  the  royal  palace  was  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  over- 
looking the  whole  city  ;  so  the  tabernacle  of  God,  where 
the  Shekinah,  the  visible  emblem  of  his  presence,  abode  be- 
tween the  cherubim,  and  where  the  most  solemn  rites  of  his 
worship  were  performed,  was  placed  in  a  large  open  court,  in 
the  centre  of  the  palace. 

As  Jerusalem  at  large  was  built  upon  a  number  of  hills,  of 
which  Zion,  the  city  of  David,  was  one  ;  so  the  whole  was  sur- 
rounded with  an  amphitheatre  of  hills,  which  afforded  a  most 
grand  and  delightful  view. 

Thus  beautiful  for  situation  ivas  mount  Zion,  on  the  sides  of 
the  north,   (or  in  the  northern  part  of  Jerusalem,)  the  city  of  the 
great  king  ;  and  God  was  known  in  her  palaces  for  a  refuge. 
Thus  admirably  chosen  was  the  place,  where  Jehovah,  by  thft 


SERMON   XXVIII.  333 

visible  symbol  of  his  presence,  condescended  to  dwell  between 
the  cherubim,  on  the  mercy  seat ;  in  the  royal  palace,  on  the 
summit,  and  in  the  centre  of  Zion,  in  the  centre  of  Judea, 
and,  in  a  sense,  in  the  centre  of  the  world.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  this  is  Jerusalem  ;  I  have  set  it  in  the  midst  of  the  nations 
and  countries  round  about  her.  Walk  about  Zion,  and  go 
round  about  her ;  tell  the  toivers  thereof.  Mark  ye  well  her 
bulwarks,  consider  her  palaces  ;  that  ye  may  tell  it  to  the  genera- 
iions  following.  For  this  God  is  our  God  forever  and  ever. 
And  out  of  Zion,  the  perfection  of  beauty,  God  hath  shined. 

Such,  my  brethren,  was  the  ancient,  royal  and  holy  city, 
whose  names  have  been  transferred  to  the  church  of  the  re- 
deemed, the  spiritual  city  and  dwelling  place  of  God.  I  say, 
tlie  names  of  that  holy  and  beautiful  city  have  been  transferred, 
and  are  now  applied  to  the  church.  And  in  this  there  is  a  pe- 
■culiar  propriety.  The  name  Zion  hterally  signifies  a  monument 
conspicuously  erected,  or  raised  xip;  and  is  not  the  church  a  mon- 
ument— a  most  stupendous  monument  of  divine  love,  raised  up 
in  the  view  of  the  universe,  for  the  grateful  wonder  of  eai'th  and 
heaven,  and  for  the  eternal  honour  of  our  God  and  Redeemer  ^ 
Jerusalem  signifies  the  view  of  the  perfection,  or  of  peace  ;  and 
how  applicable  is  this  to  the  church,  the  spiritual  city  of  God, 
in  which  perfection  and  peace  are  to  reign  with  increasing  glory 
forever.  This  is,  indeed,  the  heavenly,  the  spiritual  Jerusalem. 
Nor  is  it  with  less  propriety  called  the  city  of  the  living  God ; 
for,  like  a  city,  it  has  its  charter  of  special  privileges  and  im- 
munities, and  its  laws  of  internal  police  ;  and  it  is  the  place  in 
which  God  has  recorded  his  name,  and  which  he  has  chosen  for 
his  eternal  habitation.  This,  says  he,  is  my  7-est  forever  ;  he7'c 
will  I  dwell ;  for  I  have  desired  it. 

Was  the  ancient  Zion  founded  upon  a  rock,  and  slrenglhcn- 
ed  and  defended  with  walls  and  bulwarks  i  The  church  is 
built  on  the  rock  of  ages  ;  and  God,  the  eternal  Qod,  is  her 
refuge  and  strength.  Was  the  ancient  Zion  beautiful  for  situ- 
ation— the  joy  of  the  whole  earth  ?  The  spiritual  Zion,  the  church 
of  the  redeemed,  is  raised  up  from  the  ruins  of  the  apostacy, 
around  the  throne  of  eternal  mercy  ;  and  God  is  in  the  midst  of 


o34  SERMOK    XXVllL 

Jut.  He  makes  her  windows  of  agates,  her  gates  of  carbuncles, 
and  all  her  borders  of  pleasant  stones  ;  and  he  has  designed  her 
for  an  eternal  excellency,  the  joy  of  many  generations.  Was  it 
m  the  ancient  Jerusalem,  tliat  the  most  solemn  rites  of  divine 
ivorship  were  performed  j  and  was  it  thither  that  the  tribes  went 
tipf  the  tribes  of  the  Lord,  unto  the  testimony  of  Israel,  to  give 
(hanks  unto  the  name  of  the  Lord  ?  The  church,  tiie  heavenly, 
the  spiritual  Jerusalem,  is  indeed  the  city  of  sacred  solemnities. 
The  tabernacle,  even  the  true  tabernacle  which  the  Lord  pitched, 
tind  not  man,  is  in  her.  In  hci",  all  tiie  ordinances  of  divine 
worship  are  religiously  observed  ;  in  her,  prayer  without  ceas- 
{Qg,  together  with  thanksgiving,  is  offered  for  all  men,  the  vows 
of  sacred  dedication  are  made  and  performed,  the  seals  of 
ihe  everlasting  covenant  are  administered,  and  the  high  praises 
of  God  are  devoutly  celebrated.  Her  provisions  are  abundant- 
ly blest,  her  priests  are  clothed  with  salvation,  and  her  saints 
s^hout  aloud  for  joy.  Was  It  out  of  the  ancient  Zion  that  God 
shone  forth,  and  caused  his  name  to  be  known  among  the  sur- 
sounding  nations  .^  The  church  is  the  light  of  the  world  ;  in 
lier,  all  the  perfections  of  her  God  are  displayed  ;  and  from  her. 
Ms  name  shall  not  cease  to  be  proclaimed,  till  tlie  whole  earth 
be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  his  glory. 

Here,  then,  my  brethren,  is  not  the  mount  that  might  betouch- 
f-d,  and  which  burned  with  fire,  nor  blackness,  nor  darkness,  nor 
tempest;  but  this  is  mdicedi  mount  Zion,  the  city  of  the  living 
God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem.  Here  no  voice  of  words,  like 
sevenfold  thunder  forbids  approach  ;  no  sight  so  terrible  as  to 
laake  the  devout  attendant  exceedingly  to  fear  and  quake,  is  ex- 
Itibited  ;  but  the  language  of  eternal  mercy  is  heard,  and  the 
perfections  of  the  everlasting  God  are  displayed,  with  a  lustre  as 
snild  and  benign,  as  it  is  majestick  and  glorious.  And  to  this 
mount  Zion,  this  city  of  the  living  God,  this  heavenly  Jerusa- 
lem are  true  believers  come.  They  arc  come,  not  as  strangers 
and  foreigners,  but  as  fellow  citizens  tvith  the  saints,  and  of  the 
household  of  God  They  are  come  to  enjoy  the  privileges,  and 
to  partake  of  the  blessings  of  this  spiritual  and  holy  city.  This 
■:s  their  home,  here  their  friends  and  their  kindred  dwell,  and 


SERMON   XXVlIf.  335 

here,  with  them,  they  are  to  abide,  with  increasing  perfection 
and  joy,  and  glory  forever. 

II.  They  are  come  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angeh. 

Angels  are  constant  attendants  on  the  presence  of  God. 
Thousand  thousands  minister  unto  him,  and  ten  thousand  times 
ten  thousand  stand  before  him.  In  all  the  visions  of  God  vouch- 
safed to  men,  angels  have  been  seen  ;  and  in  all  the  representa- 
tions of  his  special  presence  and  glory,  angels  are  comprised  as 
his  splendid  retinue.  They  were  present  on  mount  Sinai, 
when  he  descended  in  terrjble  majesty  to  promulgate  his  lav^. 
The  chariots  of  God,  says  the  psalmist,  are  twenty  thousand; 
even  thousands  of  angels  ;  the  Lord  is  among  them  as  in  Sinai, 
in  the  holy  place.  Under  the  present  dispensation,  also,  angels 
attend  whei-ever  God  is  pleased  to  vouchsafe  his  special  pres- 
ence. But  God  has  his  special  residence  in  his  church.  He 
loves  the  gates  of  Zion  more  than  all  the  dwellings  of  Jacob  ; 
and  this  is  the  place  of  his  rest  forever.  In  this  holy  city,  then, 
this  spiritual,  heavenly  Jerusalem,  angels  are  constantly  present. 
They  attend  the  heirs  of  salvation,  as  ministering  spirits  ;  they 
encamp  round  about  all  them  that  fear  God  ;  they  wait  on  the  di- 
vine commands,  and  look  with  delight  into  the  unfolding  mys- 
teries of  redemption  ;  and  in  all  the  sacred  devotions  of  the 
church,  both  private  and  publick,  they  bear  a  delightful  part. 

In  coming  to  the  church,  then,  the  city  of  the  living  God, 
christians  come  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels.  They 
come  to  have  communion  with  them  in  their  holy  affections, 
services  and  felicities  ;  to  partake  of  the  benefits  of  their  be- 
nevolent ministrations  ;  to  mingle,  though  insensibly  indeed,  in 
their  society  ;  and,  with  them,  gratefully  to  admire  the  love,  to 
adore  the  majesty,  to  rejoice  in  the  favour,  and  to  worsliip  in 
the  presence,  of  their  common  Creator  and  God.  How  difier- 
ent  this  from  tlie  awful  scene  exhibited  at  Sinai.  There  be- 
tween the  angels  v/hh  God  on  the  holy  mount,  and  the  trem- 
bling tribes  below,  a  line  of  separation  was  solemnly  drawn  ;  as 
if  they  were  to  be  kept  apart,  without  any  communion  or  inter- 
course, forever  !  But  here,  at  mount  Zion,  the  true  Israel  of 
God  are  admitted  to  the  most  intimate  fellowship,   with  the  *en 


336  SERMON   XXVllt. 

thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of  thousands,  who 
3tand  continually  in  his  presence,  and  behold  his  face  in  glory. 
Saints  and  angels,  as  well  on  earth  as  in  heaven,  present  them- 
selves together,  before  the  glorious  object  of  their  holy  and  unit- 
ed adoration  and  worship. 

III.  True  believers  are  come  to  the  general  assembly  and 
church  of  the  first  horn  u'hich  are  written  in  heaven. 

To  the  general  assemhiy. — At  mount  Sinai,  the  whole  con- 
gregation of  Israel  was  assembled,  indeed,  in  solemn  convoca- 
tion ;  but,  as  already  noticed,  they  were  separated,  and  kept  at 
an  awful  distance,  from  the  angelick  hosts  with  God  on  the  holy 
mount.  They  were  then  assembled,  to  hear  the  law  ;  that  law, 
by  which  they  were  justly  condemned,  which,  to  them,  was  a 
ministration  of  death,  and  which  was  intended  to  show  them  the 
necessity  of  pardon,  and  reconciliation  to  God,  by  means  of  an 
appointed  atonement.  After  they  were  settled  in  Canaan,  all 
the  males  of  the  tribes  of  Israel  were  required  to  appear  together 
before  the  Lord,  three  times  in  a  year,  in  the  place  appointed 
for  their  publick  solemnities.  But  even  then  the  great  body  of 
the  people  were  separated  from  the  priests  and  Levites,  who,  by 
a  special  divine  appointment,  represented  the  first  horn  of  the 
nation,  and  who  only  were  permitted  to  come  near  to  the  altar, 
and  wait  on  the  more  special  and  solemn  rites  of  divine  worship. 

But,  in  the  gospel  state  of  the  church,  the  scene  is  gloriously 
changed.  Not  only  is  the  barrier  of  separation  between  men 
and  angels  removed ;  but  the  true  worshippers  are  brought  into 
one  body,  and  may  have  access  together,  not  only  to  the  altar, 
but  even  into  the  sactuary,  and  into  the  holiest  of  all.  Here, 
also,  the  middle  wall  of  partition  between  Jews  and  Gentiles  is 
demolished  ;  those  who  WQxefar  off  are  brought  nigh  ;  and  those 
who  were  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers 
from  the  covenants  of  promise,  are  vi\Zi\e  fellow  heirs,  and  of  the 
sam.e  body,  and  partakers  of  the  same  promise  in  Christ  by  the 
gospel.  There  is  one  body,  and  one  spirit,  even  as  they  are  called 
in  07ie  hope  of  their  calling  ;  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism, 
one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all. 
and  in  them  all. 


SERMON   XXVIII.  S37 

Here,  then,  christians  are  conme  to  the  general  assembly  of 
the  holy,  and  have  communion  with  the  whole  great  body  of 
saints  and  angels,  both  on  earth,  and  in  heaven.  Yes,  says  the 
apostle,  ye  are  come  to  the  church  of  the  first  horn. 

Under  the  ancient  dispensation,  all  the  first  born  of  Israel 
were  considered  as  belonging,  in  a  special  sense,  to  God,  and  as 
such  were  to  be  redeemed  with  a  specified  price.  Afterwards, 
however,  the  tribe  of  Levi  was  taken,  instead  of  the  first  born  of 
all  the  tribes,  and  were  brought  near  and  consecrated  to  the 
special  service  of  God.  They  were,  then,  the  representatives  of 
tlie  first  born  of  Israel,  were  admitted  nearer  to  God  than  the  rest 
of  the  people,  and  more  especially  typified  the  church  under  the 
present  evangelical  dispensation.  In  reference  to  them,  doubt- 
less, it  is,  that  the  collective  body  of  God's  people  are  now  de- 
nominated the  church  of  the  first  born.  They  are  all  consecrated 
to  God,  and  belong  to  him  as  his  portion.  They  are  heirs  of 
God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ,  who  himself  is  the  first  born 
among  many  brethren.  They  are  all  a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy 
nation,  a  peculiar  people.  Their  names  are  also  written  in  heaven. 
They  are  enrolled  in  the  book  of  life,  are  registered  in  the  archives 
of  immortality ;  and  in  the  great  day  of  consummation,  will  be 
acknowledged  and  proclaimed  in  the  presence  of  the  universe, 
■as  sons  and  daughters,  and  as  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and 
the  Lamb  forever. — To  this  general  assembly  and  church  of  the 
first  horn,  all  true  behevers  now  come.  They  come,  to  enjoy 
the  privileges,  to  share  in  the  honours,  and  to  inherit  the  bless- 
ings, of  the  spiritual  and  everlasting  kingdom  of  God.     And, 

IV.  They  are  also  come  unto  God  the  Judge  of  all. 

To  be  duly  impressed  with  the  sentiment  conveyed  in  this 
part  of  the  text,  it  seems  necessary  distinctly  to  recur  to  the 
scene  at  mount  Sinai.  When  God  first  announced  his  purpose 
of  descending  upon  the  mount,  he  said  to  Moses,  Lo,  I  comi 
unto  thee  in  a  thick  cloud,  that  the  people  may  hear  when  I  speak 
with  thee,  and  believe  thee  forever. —  Go  unto  the  people  and 
sanctify  them,  today,  and  tomorroir,  and  let  them  wash  their 
clothes,  and  be  ready  against  the  third  day ;  for  the  third  day 
>Ao  Lord  will  come  down  in  the  sight  of  *tU  the  people,  upon 


338  SERJVION   XXVllI. 

mount  Sinai.  And  thou  shalt  set  bounds  unto  the  people  round 
about,  saying,  Take  heed  to  yourselves,  that  ye  go  not  up  into 
the  mount,  or  touch  the  border  of  it ;  whosoever  toucheth  the 
mount  shall  be  surely  put  to  death. — And  it  came  to  pass  on  the 
third  day  in  the  morning,  that  there  were  thunders,  and  light- 
nings, and  a  thick  cloud  upon  the  mount,  and  the  voice  of  the 
trumpet  exceeding  loud  ;  so  that  all  the  people  that  ivas  in  the 
camp  trembled.  And  Moses  brought  forth  the  people  out  of 
the  camp  to  meet  with  God,  and  they  stood  at  the  nether  part  of 
the  mount.  And  mount  Sinai  was  altogether  on  a  smoke,  be- 
cause the  Lord  descended  upon  it  in  fire.  And  when  the  voice 
of  the  trumpet  sounded  long,  and  waxed  louder  and  louder,  Mo- 
ses spake,  and  God  answered  him  by  a  voice.  And  the  Lord 
came  doivn  upon  mount  Sinai,  on  the  top  of  the  mount;  and  the 
Lord  called  Moses  up  to  the  top  of  the  mount ;  and  Moses  went 
up.     And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  Go  doavn  and  chakge 

THE  PEOPLE,  LEST  THEY  BPiEAK  THROUGH  UNTO  THE  LORD, 
TO    GAZE,    AND    3IANY    OF    THEM    PERISH. 

In  the  awfully  majestick  scenery  here  described,  the  terrors 
of  the  liOrd  were  most  strikingly  displayed.  He  appeared  as 
the  sovereign  lawgiver  and  judge  of  the  world  ;  and  the  black- 
ness, and  darkness,  and  tempest  around  him,  most  solemnly  tes- 
tified his  displeasure  against  sin,  and  how  fearful  a  thing  it  must 
be  for  sinners  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God.  While, 
therefore,  amidst  his  attendant  angels,  he  made  his  tremendous 
exhibitions  on  the  mount,  bounds  were  set  round  about  to  the 
people  below  ;  and  no  one  was  permitted  to  break  through,  or 
even  to  touch  the  mount,  on  pain  of  death.  God  ajopeared,  in- 
deed, a  consuming  fire  ;  the  mountain  shook  to  its  centre  ;  and 
so  terrible  was  the  sight,  that  even  Moses  said,  I  exceedingly 
fear  and  quake. 

All  this,  my  brethren,  was  but  a  just  representation  of  the  ter- 
rors of  the  Almighty,  arrayed  against  sin  ;  of  the  utter  impossi- 
bility of  sinners  coming  to  him  by  the  law  ;  and  die  certain 
destruction,  to  which  all  are  exposed,  who  presumptuously  make 
the  attempt.  But,  under  the  gospel,  loe  are  not  come  to  this 
mount  that  might  be  touched,  and  that  burned  with  fire  ;   nor 


SERMON   XXVIII.  339 

unto  blackness,  and  darkness,  and  tempest ;  hut  we  arc  come  to 
mount  Zion,  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem, 
to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  to  the  general  assembly 
and  church  of  the  first  horn  which  are  written  in  heaven,  a7id 
even  to  God  the  Judge  of  all.  Yes,  the  same  almighty  God, 
who  appeared  in  all  that  terrible  majesty  on  the  top  of  Horcb, 
now  dwells  in  his  church,  as  his  chosen  habitation,  and  the  place 
of  his  rest  forever.  Here  he  shows  a  milder,  though  not  a  less 
excellent  glory.  Here  he  dwells  between  the  cherubim,  on  the 
mercy  seat,  displays  around  him  the  emblems  of  infinite  clem- 
ency, and  proclaims,  the  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and 
gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth, 
keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity,  transgression 
and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty. — Here,  in 
his  church,  all  true  believers  come  unto  him,  in  the  name  of  his 
Son,  their  glorious  Redeemer  and  friend,  not  to  be  destroyed 
with  an  everlasting  destruction  from  his  presence,  and  from  the 
glory  of  his  power  ;  not  to  be  utterly  consumed  by  his  terrors  ; 
but  to  receive  the  pardon  of  their  sins,  the  precious  pledges  of 
peace  with  him,  the  gracious  assurances  of  his  everlasting  love. 
Yes,  they  come  unto  God  the  Judge  of  all,  to  be  justified  freely 
by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  to 
be  acknowledged  by  him  as  his  sons  and  his  daughters  ;  to  wor- 
ship before  him,  in  union  with  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and 
on  earth ;  to  converse  and  commune  with  him,  by  means  of 
liis  sacred  ordinances  ;  and  to  present  their  bodies  a  living  sacri- 
fice, holy,  acceptable  to  him,  which  is  their  reasonable  service. 

V.  In  the  present  evangehcal  state  of  the  church,  believers 
come  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect. 

In  the  preceding  part  of  the  text,  they  are  represented  as 
coming  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  and  to  the  general 
assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born  which  are  written  in  heaven  ; 
and,  therefore,  as  being  joined  to  the  whole  united  bpdy  of  holt 
and  happy  beings.  Of  that  general  and  glorious  body  the  spirits 
of  just  men  made  perfect  are  a  part.  The  distinct  mention  of 
this  part,  however,  conveys  a  sentiment,  full  of  onoouragemenf. 
and  of  great  importance, 


340  SERMON  XXVm. 

Are  believers  thus  joined  to  the  great  society  of  holy  be- 
ings, to  the  blessed  millions  of  angels  and  saints  ?  The  fact  is 
certain,  and  the  privilege  is  unspeakably  glorious.  But  how 
shall  they  support  themselves  under  this  thought  ?  How  can 
they  think  of  being  numbered  with  the  sons  of  God,  with  those 
who  behold  his  face  in  righteousness,  and  are  to  dwell  forever  in 
his  presence,  where  there  is  fulness  of  joy,  and  at  his  right 
hand,  ivhere  there  are  pleasures  forevermore  ?  They  are  con- 
scious of  many  and  great  imperfections  ;  they  are  oppressed 
with  remaining  corruptions  ;  they  groan  under  the  pollutions  of 
a  body  of  death  ;  and  in  view  of  the  purity  and  glory  of  God, 
and  the  holiness  of  heaven,  they  are  ready  to  exclaim.  Behold 
we  are  vile  !  Alas  !  for  us,  for  we  are  undone  !  At  the  thought, 
therefore,  of  being  numbered  with  pure  and  holy  beings,  and 
partaking  of  their  privileges,  honours  and  felicities,  must  they 
not  be  overwhelmed  and  covered  with  confusion  ?  Of  this  the 
apostle  seems  to  have  been  aware,  and  with  a  view  to  this,  prob' 
ably,  he  deemed  it  important  distinctly  to  introduce  that  part 
of  his  general  representation,  which  we  have  now  particularly 
before  us. 

Ye  are  come to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  per- 
fect. The  saints  of  past  ages  were  once  in  a  similar  state 
with  those  at  present  in  the  body.  They  -were  deformed  with 
imperfections,  they  had  a  law  in  their  members  warring  against 
the  law  of  their  minds,  they  were  polluted  with  the  body  of 
death,  from  which  they  groaned  to  be  delivered.  But  their  im- 
perfections are  now  done  away,  their  corruptions  cleave  to  them 
no  longer,  their  robes  have  been  washed  and  made  clean  and 
white,  and  they  are  now  before  the  throne  of  God,  with  un- 
speakable joy.  Their  bodies  rest  in  hope,  their  spirits  are 
made  perfect  in  the  image  of  God,  and,  in  the  full  vision  of  the 
divine  glory,  they  are  perfectly  happy.  And  to  these  same 
spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  all  true  believers  are  come. 
They  are  come  to  their  former  state,  to  their  conflicts,  to  their 
hopes,  to  their  prospects  of  perfection  and  glory.  They  are 
following  them  who  through  faith  and  patience  inherit  the  prom- 
ises ;  even  now  they  have  fellowship  with  them,  as  members  of 


SERMON   XXVm.  341 

their  holy  and  glorious  community  ;  and,  in  due  time,  they  shall 
assuredly  join  them  ia  the  more  elevated  services  and  joys  of 
the  celestial  world. 

VI.  Under  the  present  dispensation,  believers  are  come  to 
Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new  coi'enant,  and  to  the  blood  of 
sprinkling,  which  speaketh  better  things  than  that  of  Abel. 

Here,  my  brethren,  we  have  the  foundation  and  the  sum  of 
all  wnicii  is  comprised  in  this  wliole  representation  of  the  state 
and  privileges  of  believers. 

The  law  given  at  Sinai  was  called  a  covenant ;  and  of  that 
covenant  Moses  was,  in  a  sense,  the  mediator.  For  when  all 
the  people  saw  the  thunderings,  and  the  lightnings,  and  the  noise 
^f  the  trumpet,  and  the  mountain  smoking,  they  removed  and 
stood  afar  off.  And  they  said  unto  JMoses,  Speak  thou  rcith  us^ 
and  we  will  hear  ;  but  let  not  God  speak  with  us,  lest  we  die. 
Accordingly,  in  Deuteronomy,  when  rehearsing  the  solemn 
scene  to  the  assembled  tribes,  Moses  said  to  them,  I  stood  be- 
tween the  Lord  and  you,  at  that  time,  to  shoiv  you  the  word  of 
the  Lord  f  for  ye  were  afraid,  by  reason  of  the  fire,  and  went 
not  up  into  the  mount.  And,  in  reference  to  this,  speaking  of  this 
Sinai  covenant,  the  apostle  to  the  Galatians  says,  It  ivas  ordain- 
ed by  angels  in  the  hand  of  a  mediator  ;  that  is,  in  the  hand  of 
Moses.  The  laiv,  however,  or  that  first  covenant,  made  nothing 
perfect ;  nor  could  the  mediation  of  Moses,  faithful  as  he  was  in 
all  things  as  a  servant,  avail  to  bring  the  people  near  to  God. 
Though  he  stood  between  the  Lord  and  them,  still  were  they 
kept,  by  the  displayed  terrors  of  the  Almighty,  at  an  awful  and 
trembling  distance.  When  Moses,  indeed,  their  mediator,  was 
on  the  mount  with  God,  they  could  not  even  come  to  him. 

But  widely  different  from  this  is  the  scene  at  raount  Zion, 
the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  to  which  be- 
lievers are  now  come.  The  law  was  given  by  Moses,  but  grace 
and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ.  In  Zion,  God  exhibits  a  bet- 
ter covenant,  established  upon  better  promises  ;  and  of  this  new 
covenant  Jesus  Christ,  his  own  Son,  is  the  Mediator.  He  saw 
the  situation  of  our  fallen  race.  He  knew  the  demands  of  the 
law  promulgated  at  Sinai,  and  all  the  terrors  there  displayetl,. 


342  SERMON   XX VIII. 

to  deter  the  attempts  and  hopes  of  sinners,  to  gain  access  to  God 
in  tlieir  own  names.  And  he  knew  what  alone  would  suffice,  as 
a  propitiation  for  their  sins,  and  the  ground  of  their  justification 
and  acceptance  with  the  Father.  Hence  he  said.  Sacrifice  and 
offering  thou  woiddst  not ;  but  a  body  hast  thou  prepared  me  ; 
ill  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices  for  sin,  thou  hast  had  no  pleas- 
ure ;  therefore,  Lo  I  come  to  dothyioill,  O  God.  Accordingly,: 
in  the  fulness  of  time,  he  appeared  in  our  flesh,  so  to  finish 
transgression  and  malce  an  end  of  sin,  as  to  open  the  way  of 
reconciliation.  He  was  made  a  curse  for  us,  and  bare  our  sins 
in  his  own  body  on  the  tree;  and  having  thus,  through  the  eter- 
nal Spirit  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God  ;  for  this  cause 
he  is  the  Mediator  of  the  JVew  Testament,  that  by  means  of 
death  for  the  redemption  of  the  transgressions  that  were  under 
the  first  testament,  they  which  are  called  might  receive  the 
promise  of  eternal  inheritance.  And  of  him  it  is  said,  Behold,  I 
lay  in  Zion,  for  a  foundation,  a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious 
corner  stone,  and  he  that  belicveth  in  him  shall  not  be  con- 
founded. . 

Yes,  my  brethren,  Jesus  is  the  Mediator  of  the  new  cove- 
nant ;  and  he  is  the  foundation  of  all  the  blessedness  of  his  peo- 
ple. He  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  on  the  holy  hill  of  Zion, 
a  prince  and  a  Saviour,  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  who 
come  unto  God  by  him.  Not  only  like  Moses  does  he  stand  be- 
tween the  Lord  and  them  ;  but  dispelling  the  blackness,  and 
darkness,  and  allaying  the  terrible  tempest,  he  brings  them  up 
to  himself  on  the  mount,  and  graciously  presents  them  with  ac- 
ceptance to  God.  Conscious  of  their  guilt,  struck  with  the  ter- 
rors of  Sinai,  and  bowing  to  the  righteousness  of  God,  they 
look,  they  hasten  to  the  Saviour.  They  come  to  him  for  life  ; 
they  believe  in  his  name,  they  embrace  his  atonement,  they  trust 
in  his  grace,  and  receive  his  assurances  of  eternal  salvation. 
And  they  come  to  his  blood,  the  blood  which  was  given  for  the 
remission  of  sin  ;  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  which  spcaketh  better 
things  than  that  of  Abel. 

But  what  is  here  meant  by  that  of  Abel  ?  Is  it  Abel's  own 
blood.,  which  was  ,shed  by  the  hand  of  his  murderous  brother  ? 


SERMON   XXVIII.  34* 

or  is  rt  the  blood  which  Abel  himself  shed  in  sacrifice,  when  the 
Lord  had  respect  unto  him,  and  to  his  offering  9  If  the  foimer 
be  intended,  that  blood  spoke  nothing  but  terror.  It  cried  un- 
to God  from  the  ground,  for  vengeance  upon  the  guilty  mur- 
derer. Not  so  the  blood  of  Christ.  This  speaks  the  language 
of  peace,  of  pardon,  of  reconcihation  to  God,  and  of  salvation  with 
eternal  glory.  But  the  apostle  is  here  displaying  the  superiour 
excellency  of  the  gospel,  above  the  legal  dispensation  at  Sinai. 
And  does  he  not  also  extend  his  views  still  further,  and  mean  to 
assert  the  superiority  of  the  present  evangelical  economy,  at 
once,  over  the  Mosaick  dispensation,  and  that  which  was  still 
more  ancient,  even  the  patriarchal  ?  This  I  believe  to  be  the 
fact ;  and,  if  so,  then  by  that  of  Abel,  we  are  to  understand,  not 
the  blood  of  Abel  himself,  which  was  murderously  shed,  but 
that  blood  which  he  offered  in  sacrifice  to  God.  That  blood, 
indeed,  being  offered  with  faith  in  the  atonement  to  be  made  in 
due  time,  by  the  promised  Messiah,  was  accepted  by  God  as  a 
typical  propitiation  ;  and,  therefore,  it  spoke  good  things  ;  it 
spoke  for  pardon  for  Abel,  through  the  great  sacrifice,  to  which 
it  had  a  typical  respect.  But  the  blood  of  Christ  speaketh  better 
things  than  even  that  of  Abel.  It  speaks,  not  as  a  typical,  but 
as  a  real  propitiation.  It  speaks,  with  a  voice  to  be  heard 
through  the  universe,  for  the  honour  of  God  and  the  support  of 
his  law.  It  speaks,  even  louder  than  the  thunders  of  Sinai,  for  the 
condemnation  of  sin,  and  the  conviction  of  sinners.  And  it 
speaks  in  a  language  which  God  will  always  hear  and  approve, 
for  the  pardon  and  complete  salvation,  not  of  an  individual  only, 
but  of  millions,  even  of  all  who  will  penitently  accept  it  as  the 
ground  of  their  justification. 

Unto  Jesus,  and  to  him  crucified,  all  true  believers  come. 
Unto  him,  as  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  his' 
blood,  as  the  only  atonement  for  sin,  they  come  for  all  the  pur- 
poses of  eternal  salvation.  And  by  him  it  is  that  tJiey  are  ad- 
mitted to  the  privileges,  honours,  and  felicities,  of  the  people 
and  children  of  God.  It  is  by  him,  and  in  his  name  only,  that, 
they  are  admitted  to  mount  Zion,  to  the  city  of  the  living  God, 
the  heavenly  Jtrusalem,  to  the  inmm^rahlc  company  of  angds, 


344  SERMON   XXVIII. 

to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born,  which  art 
written  in  heaven,  to  ihe  presence  of  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and 
to  the  fellowship,  the  hopes,  and  the  inheritance,  of  the  spirits 
of  just  men  made  perfect.  Christ,  to  them,  in  a  word,  is  all  in 
all ;  and  to  him  are  tliey  indebted  for  the  whole  blessedness  of 
the  high  and  holy  calling. 

IMPROYEMEiST. 

1.  Our   subject  opens  to  us  a  view  of  the  high  importance, 
and  the  glorious  results,  of  the  mediation  of  Christ. 

Look,  my  brethren,  again,  at  the  tremendous  scene  exhibit- 
ed at  Sinai.  See  the  great  God  arrayed  in  terrible  majesty, 
and  surrounded  with  blackness,  and  darkness,  and  tempest.  See 
the  mountain  altogether  on  a  smoke,  and  quaking  to  its  lowest 
base.  Hear  the  trump  of  God,  summoning  attention,  with  a 
blast  awfully  prolonged,  and  waxing  louder  and  louder.  Heark- 
en to  the  voice  of  the  Almighty,  from  amidst  the  lightnings  and 
thunders,  proclaiming  that  law,  which  denounces  the  most  ter- 
rible destruction  to  every  transgressor.  See,  below,  the  assem- 
bled tribes,  separated  from  God,  and  from  his  attendant  angels, 
solemnly  barred  and  deterred  from  access,  and  even  approach  ; 
struck  with  consternation,  overwhelmed  with  terror  and  dis- 
may, and  apparently  ready  to  perish  fro7n  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power.  What  shall  they  do  i* 
How  can  they  abide  the  terrors  of  the  Almighty  t  or  how  can 
they  flee  from  his  presence  ?  How  can  they  answer  the  de- 
mands of  his  holy  law  ?  or  how  can  they  endure  its  tremendous 
penalty  ?  Look  at  this  scene,  consider  it  well,  and  reflect  that 
such  is  even  but  a  faint  representadon  of  what  must  have  been 
the  fact,  with  respect  to  aU  mankind,  had  not  the  Son  of  God 
interposed  with  his  gracious  mediation. 

But,  from  this  terriflck  scene,  now,  turn  your  eyes  to  mount 
Zion,  tlie  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  or  spiritual  Jeru- 
salem. See  the  same  great  God,  seated  on  a  throne  of  mercy, 
with  all  the  mild  grandeur  of  infinite  clemency  and  grace  ;  and 
diffusing  around  him  the  beams  of  ineftable  glory  and  light. 
Ilear  him  proclaiming,  in  accents  which  swell  the  raptures  ot 


SERMON  XXVIII.  345 

eountless  millions  of  holy  beings  around  him,  peace  on  earth,  and 
g-ood  will  towards  men.  See  thousands,  and  thousands  of  thou- 
sands,  of  our  sinful  race,  gathered  from  all  ages  and  nations, 
reconciled,  pardoned,  admitted  to  the  family  of  God,  as  his  sons 
and  daughters,  and  enjoying  the  beatitudes  of  his  presence  and 
love.  See  earth  and  heaven  united,  the  most  free  and  in- 
timate intercourse  established  between  them,  and  saints  and 
angels  mingling  their  hearts  and  their  devotions,  their  joys  and" 
their  praises,  with  holy  harmony,  in  honour  of  their  common 
Creator  and  God. — Delightful,  extatick  scene  !  But  to  what,  my 
brethren,  shall  we  ascribe  it  ?  Entirely  to  the  effectual  inter- 
position of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  gracious  Mediator  of  the 
new  covenant. 

He  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and  he  has  made  peace. 
He  has  magnified  the  law  and  made  it  honourable,  has  effected 
reconciliation  for  the  rebellious,  and  opened  the  way  for  the  un- 
bounded diffusion,  from  the  throne  of  God,  of  light,  and  love, 
and  glory.  By  his  gracious  mediation,  he  has  harmonized  the 
divine  attributes  in  the  salvation  of  all  who  believe  in  him,  is 
gathering  together  in  one  all  things  in  himself,  both  in  heaven 
and  on  earth,  and  thus  advancing  the  glory  of  God,  and  the 
holy  felicities  of  his  kingdom,  on  a  scale  transcending  the  high- 
est human  or  angehck  conception.  Such,  and  so  important,  my 
brethren,  is  the  mediation  of  Christ ;  such,  and  so  glorious,  are 
its  conspicuous  results. 

2.  We  are  led  to  consider  the  solemnity  and  importance  of 
religious  institutions. 

All  religious  institutions  have  respect  to  the  relations  sub- 
sisting between  us  and  God ;  and  are  designed  as  means,  by 
which  his  people  may  approach  near  to  him,  and  hold  commun- 
ion with  him  and  all  holy  beings.  The  publick  ordinances  of 
God's  house  especially,  are  properly  the  solemnities  of  mount 
Zion,  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  ;  in 
which  all  the  momentous  concerns  of  the  gospel  are  set  forth, 
the  perfections  of  God  are  displayed,  the  blood  of  the  everlast- 
ing covenant  is  exhibited,  and  the  amazing  realities  of  the  worlds 
to  come  are  disclosed.  In  coming  to  these  solemnities,  thero- 
44 


34(i  SERMON   XXVIII. 

fore,  vve  come  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  to  the  gen- 
eral assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born,  ivhich  are  written  in 
heaven,  to  God  the  Judge  of  all,  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect,  to  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  the 
blood  of  sprinkling,  which  speaketh  better  things  than  that  of 
Mel.  In  these  ordinances,  indeed,  God  is  represented  on  the 
throne  of  grace,  displaying  the  mildest  glories  of  his  perfections, 
and  surrounded  with  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thou- 
•  sands  of  thousands  of  angels,  and  of  saints  redeemed  from  our 
fallen  race.  All  true  believers  are  allowed  to  come  near  in  holy 
fellowship,  are  owned  as  belonging  to  the  great  family  of  heaven, 
are  sealed  as  heirs  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,  and 
are  indulged  in  a  participation  of  the  privileges  and  felicities  of 
the  divine  presence  and  kingdom.  Even  sinners,  also,  who  are 
yet  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers  from 
the  covenants  of  promise,  are  invited,  entreated,  enjoined,  by 
the  most  solemn  considerations  of  both  time  and  eternity,  to  be- 
come reconciled  to  God,  sincerely  to  unite  with  his  true  and 
holy  worshippers,  and  humbly  to  participate  with  them  in  all 
their  privileges,  hopes,  and  joys.  But,  at  the  same  time  that 
they  are  assured  of  full  forgiveness  and  salvation,  if  they  will  J 
repent,  come  unto  God  through  the  Mediator  of  the  new  cov- 
enant, and  cordially  unite  with  the  citizens  of  Zion  ;  they  are 
also  pointed  to  mount  Sinai,  to  the  blackness,  and  darkness,  and 
tempest,  to  God  arrayed  in  terrors  as  a  consuming  fire,  and 
solemnly  warned  of  the  tremendous  and  inevitable  destruction 
which  awaits  tliem,  if  they  obstinately  refuse  the  gracious  over- 
tures of  peace. 

How  solemn,  then,  how  momentous,  are  these  sacred  insti- 
tutions !  How  blessed  are  they,  who  truly  and  acceptably  at- 
tend upon  them  !  How  amazing  the  guilt  of  those,  who  either 
refuse  to  attend,  or  whose  attendance  is  contemptuous,  or  vain, 
or  formal,  or  hypocritical  !  God  is  present  in  the  solemnities 
of  his  house,  Christ  is  present,  angels  and  saints  are  present. 
Should  not  the  sinners  in  Zion,  then  be  afraid,  and  fearfulness 
surprise  the  hypocrite  "?  Should  not  their  solemn  reflection  be, 
who  among  us  shall  dwell  ivith  devouring  fire  ?    loho  among  us 


SERMON   XXVIII.  347 

can  inhabit  everlasting  burnings  ?  while  the  saints  should  he 
joyful  in  their  king,  and  shout  for  joy  in  the  rock  of  their  sal- 
vation. 

3.  How  strong  are   the   obligations  on   christians,   to  ivalh 
worthy  of  God  unto  all  pleasing. 

It  was  directly,  my  brethren,  with  a  view  to  enforce  the  du- 
ties of  the  christian  vocation,  that  the  apostle  introduced  the 
solemn  and  impressive  representation  of  our  text.  Wherefore, 
says  he,  lift  up  the  hands  which  hang  down,  and  the  feeble 
knees  ;  and  make  straight  paths  for  your  feet,  lest  that  tvhich  is 
lame  be  turned  out  of  the  way  ;  but  let  it  rather  be  healed.  Fol- 
low peace  with  all  men,  and  holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall 
see  the  Lord.  Looking  diligently,  lest  any  man  fail  of  the  grace 
of  God ;  lest  any  root  of  bitterness  springing  up  trouble  you, 
and  thereby  many  be  defiled  ;  lest  there  be  any  fornicator,  or 
profane  person,  as  Esau,  who  for  one  morsel  of  meat  sold  his 
birthright.  For,  adds  the  apostle,  ye  are  not  come  unto  the  mount 
that  might  be  touched,  and  that  burned  with  fire,  nor  unto  black- 
ness, and  darkness,  and  tempest  ;  but  ye  are  come  unto  mount  Zi- 
on.  And  what,  more  strongly  than  this  consideration,  my  chris- 
tian brethren,  should  influence  you  to  the  greatest  circumspection, 
humility,  and  holiness  of  life  ?  Have  you  indeed  come  to  mount 
Zion,  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  ?  Are 
you  admitted  to  the  society  and  {e\\owsh\^  o^  innumerable  angels, 
of  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born,  which  arc 
loritten  in  heaven,  of  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and  of  the  spirits  of 
just  men  made  perfect  ?  Have  you  been  redeemed,  not  with  cor- 
ruptible things,  as  silver  and  gold,  from  your  vain  conversation  ; 
but  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  withoxit  blem- 
ish, and  without  spot  ?  And  can  you  then  be  forgetful  of  your 
high  and.  holy  vocation  ?  or  can  you  dishonour  your  exahed  re- 
lations to  your  God  and  Saviour,  and  to  the  whole  family  of 
heaven  .''  Can  you  keep  any  terms  with  sin,  or  defile  your- 
selves with  the  pollutions  of  the  world  .'*  Will  you  not  rather 
come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  separate,  and  keep  even  your 
garments  unspotted  .''  Will  you  not  receive  the  exhortations,  be 
harmless  and  blameless,   the  chikheyi  of  God   vithout  rebuke ; 


348  SERMON   XXVIII. 

^et  your  affections  on  things  above,  not  on  things  on  the  earth  ; 
as  obedient  children,  not  fashioning  yourselves  according  to  your 
former  lusts  in  your  ignorance  ;  but,  as  he  who  hath  called  you 
is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  ? 

4.  We  are  led  to  a  view  of  the  deplorable  condition  of  those, 
who  are  trusting,  not  in  the  merits  of  Christ,  but  in  their  own 
supposed  righteousness,  for  acceptance  with  God,  and  for  eter- 
nal life. 

To  mount  Sinai  we  are  to  look,  my  hearers,  for  the  exhi- 
bitions of  the  law  ;  to  mount  Zion,  for  the  exhibitions  of  the 
gospel.  To  all  who  seek  to  be  justified  by  the  law,  Christ  is 
dead  in  vain.  They  have  not  come  to  Jesus  the  Mediator  of 
the  new  covenant,  or  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  which  speaketh 
better  things  than  that  of  Mel.  And,  therefore,  they  ai'e  not 
come  to  mount  Zion,  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Je- 
rusalem. They  have  no  part  nor  lot  in  this  holy  and"  happy 
city.  They  have  no  fellowship  with  the  innumerable  company 
of  angels,  with  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born, 
which  are  written  in  heaven,  with  God  the  Judge  of  all,  or  with 
the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect.  Those  who  have  arrived 
at  mount  Zion,  which  is  above,  are  only  those  who  have  washed 
their  rotes  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  We 
hear  of  none  there,  who  attained  to  that  holy  place  by  their 
own  righteousness.  There  are  none  there,  who  cannot  join  in 
the  song  of  Moses,  and  in  the  song  of  the  Lamb ;  none,  who 
cannot  ascribe  salvation,  glory,  honour,  and  blessing  to  the  gra- 
cious Redeemer,  saying.  Thou  art  worthy  of  these  ascriptions, 
for  thou  ivast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God,  by  thy  blood, 
and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests.  In  these 
ascriptions,  surely,  those  who  seek  to  be  justified  by  the  deeds 
of  law  can  bear  no  part;  and,  therefore,  they  can  have  no 
part  in  the  privileges  of  those  who  are  come  to  mount  Zion. 
No  ;  but  for  all  their  hopes,  and  for  all  their  consolations,  they 
must  look  to  mount  Sinai,  the  mount  that  might  be  touched,  and 
which  burned  with  fire.  Behold  them,  then,  at  the  foot  of  that 
awful  mount.  See  the  terrors  of  the  Almighty  there  displayed, 
the  blackness,  and  darkness,  and  tempest,  the  lightnings  and  the 


SERMON   XXVIII.  349 

thunders,  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  and  the  voice  ofivords.  And 
hear  the  tremendous  warning,  Take  heed  to  yourselves  that  ye 
go  not  up  into  the  mount,  or  touch  the  border  of  it ;  beivare  that 
ye  approach  not,  lest  ye  perish  !  Alas,  for  them  !  What  shall 
they  do  ?  Verily,  it  is  a  fearful  thing  for  them  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  living  God  ;  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire.  O, 
my  hearers,  take  warning  in  season  ;  and  flee  from  the  terrors 
of  mount  Sinai,  to  the  throne  of  mercy,  erected  on  mount  Zion. 
Remember  that  by  the  deeds  of  the  law,  no  flesh  shall  be  justified 
in  the  sight  of  God.  Turn,  then,  to  the  blood  of  the  cross  ; 
penitently  confess  your  sins  before  God  ;  and  gratefully  lay  hold 
on  the  precious  hope  set  before  you  in  the  gospel. 


SERMON    XXIX. 


COMMUNION    IN    THE    BODY    AND    BLOOD    OF    CHRIST. 


1  Corinthians  x.  16. 

7%e  cup  of  blessing  rshich  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the 
blood  of  Christ  ?  The  bread  which  we  breakj  is  it  not  the  commun' 
ion  of  the  body  of  Christ. 

A.  JUST  conception  of  our  being,  of  our  moral  state,  of  our 
relations,  and  of  our  destination,  is  an  attainment  as  rare  as  it  is 
difficult.  The  multitude  suffer  themselves  to  float  down  with 
the  current  of  things,  considering  very  little  what  they  are,  what 
is  the  end  of  their  existence,  what  should  be  the  grand  object  of 
their  regard,  or  whither  the  current  will  ultimately  carry  them. 
This  is  the  thoughtlessness  of  folly.  A  wise  man  desires  to 
know  himself,  the  beings  with  whom  he  is  connected,  and  the 
objects  with  which  he  is  concerned ;  that  he  may  see  what  he 
should  seek,  and  what  he  should  shun  ;  what  he  has  to  do,  and 
what  he  has  to  expect.  If  I  do  not  misjudge,  my  brethren,  the 
subject,  to  which  your  attention  is  now  invited,  will  afford  some 
light  for  this  important  inquiry. 

Man  is  denominated  a  religious  being.  Certainly  he  is  a 
being,  to  whose  true  dignity  and  happiness  religion  is  indispen- 
sably essential.  The  religion  for  man,  as  all  christians  will  ad- 
mit, is  the  religion  of  the  Bible,  or  of  the  gospel.  Of  this  re- 
ligion, the  sacrament  of  the  holy  supper  is  the  highest  ordi- 
nance, and  the  most  clear  and  comprehensively  significant  sym- 


SERMON   XXIX.  351 

bol.  If,  then,  we  have  a  right  understanding  of  this  holy  sacra- 
ment, we  shall  have  conceptions  proportionably  clear,  of  our 
most  important  relations,  our  chief  duties,  our  highest  good,  and 
our  ultimate  destiny. 

The  import  of  the  holy  supper  is  concisely  set  forth  in  our 
text.  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  commun- 
ion of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  The  bread  ivhich  we  break,  is  it  not 
the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ  ?  Of  the  bread,  our  Lord 
himself,  when  instituting  the  supper,  said,  this  is  my  body ;  of 
the  cup,  this  is  my  blood; — by  which  we  understand,  that  the 
bread  is  a  symbol  of  his  body,  and  the  cup  a  symbol  o(  his  hhod, 
as  exhibited  upon  the  cross.  And  he  adds,  this  do,  as  oft  as  ye 
eat  it,  and  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of  me  ;  that  is, 
in  sacred  commemoration  of  my  death.  In  sacredly  commemo- 
rating the  death  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  we  solemnly  profess  our 
joint  concern  and  interest  in  it.  We  sacramentally  attest  and 
seal  our  communion  in  his  body,  and  in  his  blood  ;  our  joint 
participation  of  the  spirit  and  purpose  of  their  exhibition  upon 
the  cross. 

Our  doctrine  then  is,  that  the  partaking  of  the  lord's 

SUPPER  IS  A  SYMBOLICAL  AND  SACRAMENTAL  DECLARATION  OF 
COMMUNION,  OR  JOINT  INTEREST  AND  PARTICIPATION,  IN  THE 
GREAT  DESIGN  OF  HIS  DEATH. 

It  is  symbohcal,  because  it  is  a  declaration,  not  in  words, 
but  in  significant  action,  or  emblematical  representation.  It  is 
sacramental,  because  it  is  a  sacred  sign,  of  the  solemn  and 
binding  nature  of  an  oath.  And  that  partaking  of  the  Lord's 
supper  is  a  declaration  or  attestation  of  communion  in  his  death, 
and  therefore,  certainly,  in  its  design,  is,  I  trust,  sufficiently 
clear,  without  further  comment,  from  the  words  of  the  apostle, 
so  evidently  and  closely  in  agreement  with  those  of  our  Lord 
himself.  On  this  clear  and  high  testimony,  I  take  the  doctrine 
as  clearly  and  incontrovertibly  true.     And  1  now  propose  to  show, 

I.  What  the  design  of  our  Lord's  death  was  ;  and 

II.  What  communion  in  it  includes,  or  implies. 

The  design  of  Christ's  death  is  declared  in  the  scriptures, 
with  great  distinctness  and  fulness.     He  himself  says.   The  Son 


352  SERMON  XXIX. 

of  man  came  ....  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  tor  many.  ^5 
they  ivere  eating,  he  took  bread  and  blessed  it,  and  brake  it,  and 
gave  it  to  his  disciples,  and  said,  Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body 
WHICH  IS  BROKEN  FOR  YOU.  And  hc  took  the  cup  and  gave 
thanks,  and  gave  it  to  them,  saying.  Drink  ye  all  ofit;  for  this 
is  my  blood  of  the  JVew  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  many  for 
THE  remission  OF  SINS.  This  is  in  agreement  with  ancient 
prophetick  scripture.  If  he  shall  make  his  soul  an  offering 
for  sin,  he  shall  see  his  seed.  And  in  the  same  chapter,  the 
prophet,  in  the  way  of  anticipation,  says,  He  was  wounded  for 
OUR  transgressions  ;  he  tvas  bruised  for  our  iniquities  j 
the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him  ;  and  by  his  stripes 
ive  are  healed.  Hence  the  apostle  says,  /  delivered  unto  you 
first  of  all,  that  which  I  also  received,  how  that  Christ  died 
FOR  OUR  SINS  according  to  the  scriptures. — He  was  delivered 
for  our  offences,  and  was  raised  again  for  our  justification. 

He  was  OFFERED  TO  BEAR  THE  SINS   OF  MANY. For  if  the  blood 

of  bulls  and  of  goats,  and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer,  sprinkling  the 
unclean,  sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh,  how  much  more 
shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who  through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered 
himself  without  spot  to  God,  purge  your  conscience  from  dead 
works,  to  serve  the  living  God. —  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to 
be  a  propitiation,   through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his 

righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins that  he  might  be 

just  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus. —  Christ  our 
passover  was  sacrificed  for  us. —  We  have  redemption  through 
his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins. — He  is  the  propitiation  for 
OUR  sins,  says  the  apostle  John,  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also 
for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world. — Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us 
kings  and  priests  unto  God,  and  his  Father ;  to  him  be  glory 
and  dominion  forever  and  ever.  And  the  spirits  of  the  just  made 
perfect,  even  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born  in 

heaven,  are  said  to  sing  a  new  song ;  thou  art  worthy for 

thou  loast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out 
of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation. 


SERMON   XXIX.  353 

In  these  passages,  we  are  most  plainly  taught,  that  Christ 
died  for  mankind — for  all  mankind  ;  that  he  gave  himself  to 
death  as  a  ransom,  a  price  of  redemption,  for  many  ; — as  an 
offering  to  God — a  sacrifice — a  propitiation  or  atonement — for 
sin  ;  and  that  by  or  through  his  death,  all  who  believe  on  him 
actually  receive  forgiveness  of  sin,  are  freely  justified  by  divine 
grace,  and  obtain  salvation  with  eternal  glory. 

The  great  design,  then,  of  our  Lord's  death  was,  to  make 
atonement  for  sin,  and  to  redeem  mankind  from  guilt  and  wo  to 
God  and  to  happiness.  This  is  the  design  in  which  the  partak- 
ing of  the  holy  supper  is  a  symbolical  and  sacramental  decla- 
ration of  communion.     Let  us  now, 

II.  Consider  what  is  included  or  implied  in  this  sacred  and 
high  communion. 

The   first   thing    which    here    presents  itself  is,    a   cordial 
acknowledgment  of  the  truth  of  the  doctrine.     If  we  disbelieve 
or  oppose  this  truth — if  we  do  not  heartily  receive  and  acknowl- 
edge it — we  can  have,  certainly,  no  communion  or  participation 
in  the  matter.     It  will  be  to  us  only  as  an  idle  fiction,  or  a  hurt- 
ful error,  or  a  matter  from   which  we  keep   ourselves  aloof.     If 
we  really  have  communion  in  the  design  of  Christ's  death,  we 
must  hold  it  as  a  momentous   truth,   dear  to  our  hearts,  that  he 
did  die  as  a  propitiation  for  sin,  and  for  the   redemption  of  sin- 
ful men  ;  and  a  sacramental  declaration  of  this  communion,  is  a 
solemn  and  sacred  acknowledgment  and  attestation  of  the  truth. 
Another  thing  included  in  this  holy  communion,  is  an  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  necessity  of  such  an  atoning  sacrifice.     If  we  hold 
it  as  a  truth,  that  the  Lord   from  heaven  gave  his  life  a  ransom 
for  mankind,  and  the  feehngs  of  our  hearts  are  in  accordance 
with  this  truth  ;  we  must  believe   and  acknowledge  that  such  a 
redemption  was  necessary  :  For  the  admission,   or  supposition, 
that  God,  supremely  wise  and  good,  would  give  his  Son,  or  that 
the  Son,  the  brightness  of  the  Father^s  glory,  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person,  would  give  himself  to  die  upon  the  cross,  as 
a  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  when  there   existed  no 
necessity  for  such  a  sacrifice,  must  be  everlastingly  repugnant  to 

all  right  reason  an  right  feeling. 
45 


354  SERMON   XXIX. 

But,  from  what  could  the  necessity  arise,  but  from  the  real 
state  of  mankind.  For  sinless  beings  no  atonement,  no  pro- 
pitiatory sacrifice  can  be  needed  ;  an  atonement  for  such  be- 
ings would  be  dishonourable  to  God,  and  injurious  to  them. 
And  even  for  sinful  beings,  such  a  sacrifice  as  that  of  the  Lord 
of  glory,  could  not  have  been  necessary,  if  any  smaller  sacri- 
fice, or  any  less  expensive  means,  either  in  their  own  power,  or 
in  the  power  of  God,  would  have  been  sufficient  for  their  re- 
demption. 

It  could,  then,  have  been  only  for  sinful  beings,  that  Christ 
gave  his  life  a  ransom  ;  and  for  such,  whose  redemption  or  re- 
covery could  not  have  been  effected  by  any  smaller  sacrifice, 
or  any  less  expensive  means.  Such,  then,  in  the  view  of  God, 
were  all  mankind,  when  he  sent  his  Son  to  taste  death  for  every 
man,  and  be  a  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  ivorld.  So 
strong  is  the  apostle  when  he  says,  We  thus  judge,  that  if  one 
died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead ; — dead,  as  being  in  a  state  of 
moral  corruption,  guilt,  and  condemnation,  from  which  they 
could  neither  recover  themselves,  nor  be  recovered,  but  by 
such  a  ransom. 

Such  is  the  awfully  affecting  import  of  the  death  of  Christ ; 
and  such  the  humiliating  and  deep  felt  acknowledgment  of  all 
who  have  communion  in  the  great  design  of  his  death. 

This  holy  communion  includes,  moreover,  a  cordial  ap- 
proval of  the  law  and  of  the  justice  of  God. 

Sin  is  a  transgression  of  the  divine  law  ;  and  it  is  from  the 
curse,  or  penalty  of  the  law,  incurred  by  transgression,  that  man- 
kind are  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Chi'ist.  If  the  law  were 
unreasonable,  either  in  its  requirements  or  in  its  penalty,  it  could 
not  be  for  good  that  it  should  be  sustained  and  magnified  by 
such  a  sacrifice.  Instead  of  being  for  good,  it  would  be  an  evil 
of  most  tremendous  aspect,  as  it  would  be  giving  the  highest 
possible  sanction  to  injustice,  and  show  the  most  inflexible  de- 
termination to  enforce  what  ought  never  to  have  been  exacted, 
or  enjoined.  Better,  it  should  seem,  incalculably  better,  that 
the  law  should  be  annulled,  or  its  penalty  remitted,  without  any 
substitutional  atonement. 


SERMON   XXIX.  S55 

An  acknowledgment,  then,  of  the  necessity  of  the  death  of 
Christ,  for  the  redemption  of  mankind,  carries  in  it  an  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  reasonableness  and  importance  of  maintaining 
the  law  in  all  its  majesty  and  force  ;  and  there  can  be  no  real 
communion  in  this  design,  without  a  cordial  approval  of  the  law, 
as  holy^  and  just,  and  good,  and  also  of  the  justice  of  God,  in 
refusing  to  remit  or  abate  the  penalty,  without  an  equivalent 
sacrifice. 

Here  the  communion  becomes  direct  and  intimate.  By  his 
death,  Jesus  Christ  has  magnijied  the  law  and  made  it  honour- 
able. When  he  came  from  heaven  on  his  great  errand,  and 
when  he  yielded  himself  up  to  the  cross,  the  law  of  God  was  in 
his  heart.  He  lived  and  he  died  to  fulfil  the  law,  and  to  give  to 
it  strength  and  glory.  The  first  commandment  of  all  is.  Thou 
shah  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  The  second  is  like  unto  it,  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself  These  two  commandments, 
in  all  their  extent,  and  in  all  the  variety  of  duties  and  offices 
involved  in  them,  Jesus  Christ  fulfilled.  His  life  on  earth 
throughout,  was  one  continued,  uniform,  and  clear  expression  of 
love  to  God  his  Father.  His  death  was  an  expression  to  the 
same  effect,  and  of  the  highest  possible  emphasis.  All  that  he 
did,  and  all  that  he  suffered,  was  in  obedience  expressly  to  the 
will  of  his  Father,  from  love  to  him,  and  a  desire,  of  unmeasur- 
ed strength  and  intensity,  to  glorify  his  name.  Nor  less  un- 
equivocally and  emphatically,  at  the  same  time,  did  his  life  and 
his  death  evince  his  love  to  his  neighbour  ; — his  love  to  men — 
to  all  mankind — in  whose  nature  he  appeared,  and  for  whose 
good  he  laboured,  and  suffered  unto  death. 

Communion,  then,  in  the  great  design  of  the  Saviour's  death, 
is,  in  its  very  nature,  and  feeling,  and  exercise,  direct  and  inti- 
mate communion  with  him  ;  for  including,  as  it  does,  a  cordial 
approval  of  the  divine  law,  its  spirit  and  essence  must  be  the 
love  which  the  law  requires  ;  the  holy  love  to  God  and  to  fel- 
low beings,  which  ruled  in  his  heart,  and  was  displayed  in  all 
his  doings  and  sufferings.  All  true  communicants  are  joined  to 
him  in  one  spirit ;  in  love  to  the  same  beings,  and  desire  for 
the  same  objects. 


356  SERMON  XXIX. 

Once  more ;  this  high  and  sacred  communion  includes  a 
cordial  and  grateful  ackaovvledgment  and  approval  of  the  stu- 
pendous exemplification  given  by  Christ,  in  his  death,  of  the 
affectionate  and  beneficent  nature  of  holy  love,  and  the  un- 
measured extent  to  which  it  will  go. 

Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down 
his  life  for  his  friends  ;  but  God  hath  commended  his  love  to- 
ward us,  in  that  while  we  were  yet  enemies  Christ  died  for  us. 
We  had  shown  ourselves  to  be  enemies — determined  enemies. 
During  four  thousand  years,  the  Saviour  had  been  seeking  our 
good,  and  exercising  the  high  and  gracious  functions  of  Medi- 
ator, to  save  us  from  going  down,  the  whole  race  together,  to 
endless  perdition  ;  and  God,  with  infinite  patience,  forbearance, 
and  long-suffering,  had  been  conferring  upon  generation  after 
generation  unnumbered  benefits  and  blessings;  and  during  that 
long  period,  the  world  was  in  open  and  unyielding  rebellion, 
alienated  from  God  by  wicked  works,  trampHng,  with  daring  de- 
fiance, upon  his  authority  and  law,  changing  his  glory  into  tl:e 
vilest  images,  spurning  his  offers  of  pardon  and  peace,  perse- 
cuting and  murdering  his  messengers,  and  fiUing  the  earth  with 
every  thing  abominable  in  his  sight.  After  all  this,  the  Son  of 
God  came  into  the  world,  not  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the 
"world  through  him  might  be  saved.  He  appeared  in  our  na- 
ture, in  all  the  mildness,  and  benignity,  and  tenderness,  aid 
loveliness,  of  heavenly  grace  and  truth.  He  came  unto  his  own, 
and  his  own  received  him  not.  He  was  despised  and  rejected  of 
men.  The  malignity  of  their  hearts  was  exerted  to  the  utmost; 
and  the  language  of  their  conduct  towards  him,  as  strikingly 
represented  in  his  own  most  affecting  parable,  was,  This  is  the 
heir  ;  come,  let  us  kill  him,  and  the  inheritance  shall  be  ours. 
With  a  zeal  and  audacity,  which  might  well  amaze  the  uni- 
verse, they  engaged  in  the  desperate  design  ; — seized  the  Prince 
of  Glory — insulted  him  with  a  mock  trial  at  a  bar  of  iniquity, — 
spit  in  his  face, — scourged  him, — crowned  him  with  thorns, — and 
nailed  him  to  the  cross.  He  went  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter  ;  and 
as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth. 

All  this  was  perfectly  known  to  him,  when  he  came  from  the 
bosom  of  the  Father  ; — the  whole  wickedness  of  mankind,  and 


SERMON   XXIX.  357 

the  whole  of  the  sufferings  which  he  must  undergo  for  our  re- 
demption, were  present  to  his  mind ; — and  yet  he  freely  came, 
and  freely  gave  himself  up,  to  die  amidst  all  this  enmity  and 
ignominy — to  die  for  his  enemies — to  die  for  us,  and  for  all 
mankind.  And  this  he  did  in  obedience  to  the  Father,  and  in 
fulfilment  of  tl)e  law.  Such,  then,  is  the  nature,  and  such  the 
extent  of  tliat  love,  which  is  the  end  of  the  commandment.  To- 
wards God,  it  is  the  most  pure,  dutilul,  cheerful,  intense,  unre- 
served, and  unmeasured  devotion  ;  and  towards  fellow  beings,, 
it  is  pure,  affectionate,  active,  tender,  and  unrestrained  good 
will,  which  suffereth  long  and  is  kind,  and  endureth  all  things. 
So  it  appears,  as  exemplified  by  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  Sa- 
viour of  men  ;  and  to  this  high  and  affecting  exemplification  all 
true  communicants  of  his  body  and  of  bis  blood,  devoutly  and 
sacramentally,  accord  their  sincere,  and  tender,  and  grateful^ 
and  admiring  approval. 

The  subject  affords  some  interesting  and  important  inferen- 
ces and  reflections. 

1.  It  appears  from  it  that  the  union  between  Christ  and  his 
redeemed  people  is  founded  upon  a  basis,  than  which  none 
could  be  more  solid,  or  more  durable. 

There  is  in  it  no  healing  of  the  breach  between  God  and  sin- 
ful men  slightly ;  no  wrapping  up  of  things,  by  which  hereafter 
it  might  be  disturbed  ;  no  compromise  upon  unexplained  or  un- 
defined considerations.  All  is  open  and  clear  as  the  Hght  of 
heaven.  All  is  explicit  and  thorough.  The  high  and  holy  pre- 
rogatives and  claims  of  tlie  eternal  throne  are,  on  the  one  part, 
asserted  and  vindicated  in  their  utmost  extent ;  and  on  the  other 
part,  cordially,  tenderly,  and  decisively  acknowledged  and  ap- 
proved. It  is  distinctly  asserted  on  the  one  part,  and  acknowl- 
edged on  the  other,  that  the  law  of  God  is  holy,  and  every  com- 
mandment holy,  and  jiist,  and  good ;  that  it  is  altogether  right 
and  fit,  and  essential  to  the  well-being  of  the  universe,  that  the 
moral  creatures  of  God  should  love  him,  the  source  of  all  be- 
ing, and  the  sum  of  excellence,  with  all  their  hearts  and  powers  ; 
and  that,  deriv^ing  their  existence  from  the  same  common  source^ 
and  depending  for  all  things  oa  the  same  common  munificence, 


^bb  SERMON  XXIX. 

they  should  love  one  another  as  themselves  : — That  a  violatiou 
of  this  law  tends  to  evil  of  undefinable  extent,  and  deserves  the 
punishment  which  the  law  denounces : — That  mankind,  in  their 
unredeemed  state,  are  all  under  sin  and  just  condemnation  : — 
That,  had  not  God,  in  his  sovereign  wisdom  and  goodness,  pro- 
vided a  ransom,  the  whole  race,  must  have  been  forever  lost : — 
and  that  the  way  of  their  recovery,  through  the  propitiation  ex- 
iiibited  upon  the  cross,  and  by  repentance  towards  God,  and 
faith  in  the  Redeemer,  is  most  gracious  on  the  part  oi  Gori,  and 
most  reasonable,  and  safe,  and  felicitous  for  men.  All  this  is 
fully  stated,  explained,  agreed  to,  settled,  and  sealed,  in  ihe 
presence  of  the  universe,  and  by  attestations  and  sanctions,  as 
sacred  and  as  solemn  as  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  the 
powers  of  the  world  to  come,  could  render  them. 

Such,  my  brethren,  are  the  principles,  on  which  the  union 
between  Christ  and  his  redeemed  ones  is  founded.  They  are 
the  principles  of  eternal  truth,  and  righteousness,  and  goodness  ; 
and  they  constitute  a  basis,  as  firm  and  as  undecaying  as  that 
which  supports  the  throne  of  Jehovah,  and  the  happiness  of 
heaven. 

2.  This  union  between  Christ  and  his  redeemed  is  such  as 
must  be  full  of  the  most  pure,  exalted,  and  undiminishing  de- 
light. 

Its  immovable  stability,  and  its  establishment  upon  princi- 
ples supremely  excellent,  must  ever  inspire  delighttul  feehngs 
of  elevated  security  and  dignity.  But  this  is  not  all.  It  is  a 
union  of  love  ;  of  love  in  its  purest  nature,  and  in  most  interest- 
ing and  endearing  forms. 

Christ  has  loved  them,  and  given  himself  for  them,  and  re- 
deemed them  from  endless  perdition  to  immortal  glory,  with  his 
own  blood.  This  was  pure  benevolence;  it  was  divine  com- 
passion in  all  its  tenderness,  and  in  its  most  wonderful  and  af- 
fecting condescension.  In  their  state  of  guilty  wretchedness  they 
could  have  been  no  objects  of  his  complacency  ;  they  had  noth- 
ing to  render  them  lovely  in  his  sight,  but  every  thing  loathsome; 
nothing  to  recommend  them  to  his  attention,  but  their  misery, 
and  the  opportunity  they   aitbrded  him  of  exerting  and   mani- 


SERMON   XXIX.  350 

testing  the  kindness  of  his  heart,  in  a  way  to  glorify  God  and 
"promote  the  great  interests  of  tlie  universe.  But  a  change  in 
them  has  ensued.  By  the  mighty  efforts  of  his  grace,  they  have 
been  recovered  to  a  better  mind  and  a  better  state.  Mehed  to 
tenderness  by  the  power  of  his  dying  love,  they  have  returned 
from  their  guihy  wanderings,  and  alienations,  and  corruptions, 
and,  at  the  foot  of  his  cross,  confessed  their  vileness,  cast  them- 
selves upon  sovereign  mercy  through  his  blood,  and  with  hearts 
of  love,  and  gratitude,  and  affectionate  confidence,  committed 
themselves,  and  their  interests  for  eternity,  into  his  hand.  At 
first,  indeed,  and  so  long  as  they  are  continued  in  this  v^•orld, 
they  struggle  with  evil  propensities  and  influences,  and  are  blem- 
ished with  many  imperfections.  But  the  same  grace  which  be- 
gun the  good  work  in  them  will  advance  it  to  perfection.  Mil- 
lions are  already  made  complete  in  the  image  of  their  Saviour, 
and  the  rest  are  following  on  in  the  same  ascending  course. 

Now,  then,  they  are  no  more  enemies.  Now  he  regards 
them  not  merely  with  benevolence  and  compassion,  but  with 
complacency  and  delight — with  all  the  tender  and  exquisite  sen- 
sibilities and  satisfactions,  which  must  result  from  what  he  has 
done  for  them,  and  from  what  they  express  and  feel  of  the  ten- 
derest  and  most  grateful  affections  towards  him.  In  this  state, 
and  with  these  feelings,  he  presents  them  to  his  Father  ; — and, 
well  pleased  with  his  beloved  Son,  and  with  the  fruits  of  his  re- 
deeming love,  the  Father  graciously  accepts  them  and  receives 
them  to  his  bosom,  as  his  own  sons  and  daughters.  As  it  is  in 
union  with  himself  that  Christ  presents  his  redeemed  people  to 
his  Father ;  and  as  it  is  in  union  with  him  that  the  Father  re- 
ceives them  ;  so,  in  Christ,  and  as  one  with  him,  they  are  ad- 
mitted to  intimate  union  even  with  the  Father.     To   this  effect 

was  the  Saviour's  intercessory  prayer.     I  pray  for  them 

that  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou  Father  art  in  mc,  and  I  in 

thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us : /  in  them,   anJ 

thou  in  me,  that  they  may  he  made  perfect  in  one  ;  and  that  thr 
world  may  know,  that  thou  hast  sent  me,  and  hast  loved  them  c-s 
thou  hast  loved  me. 

Thus  the  wonderful  circle  is  closed.     It  was  from  the  bo- 


360  SERMON   XXIX. 

Som  of  the  Father's  love  that  the  Son  came  to  give  his  life  a 
ransom  for  many ;  and  back  to  the  bosom  of  his  Father's  love 
he  returns,  bringing  with  him  the  embodied  millions  of  his  re- 
deemed ;  and  there,  in  him,  they  dwell  in  the  Father,  and  the 
Father,  dwelling  in  him,  dwells  also  in  them. 

This  union,  then,  comprises  the  n)utual  love  of  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  all  the  affections  of  both  the  Father  and  the  Son 
towards  the  redeemed  ;  and  all  the  affections  of  the  redeemed 
towards  them,  and  towards  one  another.  And  in  the  varied  ex- 
ercises and  communications  of  these  multiplied  and  intermingled, 
pure  and  exalted  affections,  and  with  the  countless  circumstan- 
ces of  the  deepest  interest,  and  the  most  exquisite  tenderness, 
to  give  to  them  a  never  remitting  intensity,  the  holy  union  must 
immeasurably  exceed  in  delight,  all  that  eye  hath  seen,  or  ear 
heard,  or  heart  of  man  or  angel  conceived.  Oh,  my  brethren, 
how  faint  is  the  clearest  view  which  I  can  give,  or  you  can  have, 
of  the  ultimate  blessedness  and  gloi*y  of  the  communion  of  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ ! 

3.  It  appears  from  our  subject  that,  in  the  death  of  the  Son 
of  God,  an  exhibition  was  made  of  moral  goodness,  which  must 
be  of  the  highest  interest  and  importance  to  the  universe,  through 
endless  ages. 

The  Son  of  God,  sent  from  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  came 
into  our  world,  and  died  upon  the  cross,  for  the  redemption  of 
guilty,  lost  mankind.  This,  my  brethren,  is  love  ;  this  is  moral 
goodness. 

The  angels  of  light,  indeed,  and  other  intelligent  creatures, 
might  have  had  some  right  conceptions  of  the  goodness  of  God, 
and  of  the  nature  of  moral  goodness  in  general,  without  such  an 
exhibition.  But  it  may  well  be  questioned,  whether,  without 
such  an  exhibition,  they  could  ever  have  had  conceptions  so 
elear  and  exalted,  or  impressions  so  profound  and  effective,  as 
the  death  of  Christ  has  given  them. 

Here  it  is  seen  at  once  that  holy  love,  or  moral  goodness, 
does  not  consist  in  merely  admiring  what  is  excellent, — nor  in 
merely  being  pleased  that  others  are  good  and  happy, — nor  in 
merely  desiring  that  the  vicious  may  become  virtuous,   and  the 


SERMON   XXIX.  3G1 

miserable  rise  to  happiness  ;  but,  in  seeking  the  good  of  others, 
and  endeavouring,  by  all  the  means  properly  in  our  power,  to 
promote  it. 

The  Saviour  was  blessed,  in  the  glory  which  he  had  with 
the  Father  before  the  world  was.  He  loved  the  Father,  and 
delighted  himself  in  the  illimitable  excellences  of  the  divine 
character.  And  he  was  pleased  with  the  happiness  and  the 
praises  of  angels,  and  the  various  and  numerous  orders  of  holy 
beings,  whom  he  had  created.  But  all  this  did  not  suffice  for 
him.  There  was  a  world  in  ruins — a  race  of  creatures  in  cor- 
ruption and  wretchedness.  To  recover  them  would  cost  an  im- 
mense sacrifice  and  an  immense  effort.  It  was  the  pleasure  of 
the  Father,  that  the  sacrifice  and  effort  should  be  made  ;  and  it 
was  tlie  pleasure  of  the  Son  to  make  them.  If  the  divine  dis- 
position to  do  good  is  manifest  in  all  the  divine  works;  yet  this 
instance  staods  out,  amidst  the  whole,  with  such  prominence  and 
■splendour,  as  to  be  seen  and  felt  by  all  intelligent  beings.  And 
if  it  might  otherwise  have  been  known,  that  divine  goodness 
would  make  great  exertions  for  the  promotion  of  happiness  ; 
yet  it  could  hardly  have  been  known,  or  imagined,  that  it  would 
make  great  sacrifices. 

It  is  not  then  without  reason,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  styled  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  ;  for  in  him  righteousness,  or  true 
moral  goodness,  shines  with  a  resplendence  which  enlightens 
the  universe,  and  shows  to  all  moral  beings  how  they  should  feel, 
and  how  they  should  act. 

The  redeemed  from  among  men,  beholding  this  glory  of 
God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  are  changed  into  the  same  inw 
age,  from  glory  unto  glory — from  one  degree  of  conformity  to 
another,  until  they  are  made  complete  in  his  likeness.  The  un- 
told millions  of  the  redeemed  will  all  be  formed  upon  this 
model ;  will  all  be  raised  up  to  this  standard  ;  wiir  all  have  the 
same  mind  in  them  that  was  in  their  Redeemer  and  .Lord.  In 
them  all,  virtue,  or  moral  goodness,  will  be  an  active  principle, 
seeking  not  its  own  ;  but,  supremely,  the  glory  of  God,  and  sub- 
serviently, and  in  conformity  to  the  will  of  God,  the  good  of 
fellow  beings,  to  the  extent  of  its  abilities  and  meflns; 
4G 


302  SERMON  XXIX. 

Angels  have  contemplated  the  astonishing  exhibition,  and 
beheld  the  glory,  until  they  are  fired  with  the  same  spirit. 

Not  only,  indeed,  does  the  redemption  of  mankind  show 
what  moral  goodness  is,  and  what  efforts  and  sacrifices  it  will 
make  ;  but  it  affords,  also,  an  occasion  for  the  exercise  and  man- 
ifestation of  it,  by  all  beings  in  whom  it  exists.  The  atoning 
sacrifice  has  been  made  once  for  all ;  but  great  efibrts,  and  gi  eat 
sacrifices,  are  yet  to  be  made,  before  the  great  design  will  be 
completed.  The  world  still  lies  in  wickedness  ;  is  still  covered 
with  darkness,  and  immersed  in  corruption.  Its  conversion  to 
God,  its  recovery  to  truth,  to  holiness,  and  to  happiness,  through 
the  blood  of  the  cross,  is  still  an  object  of  the  deepest  interest  to 
the  benevolent  heart.  God  is  engaged — Christ  is  engaged — 
his  redeemed  ones,  on  earth  and  in  heaven,  are  engaged — angels 
are  engaged,  in  the  momentous  design.  In  this  design,  indeed, 
all  benevolent  minds  and  hearts  meet,  and  mingle,  and  commune. 
And  here  it  is  that  all  things,  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  are  gather- 
ing together  in  one,  even  in  Christ.  By  his  death  for  the  re- 
demption of  men,  all  holy  beings  are  brought  into  united  action, 
as  one  body,  animated  by  one  Spirit.  Hence,  a  mutual  fellow 
feeling  is  diffused,  and  common  interest  is  felt;  and  the  spirit  of 
grateful  love  to  God,  and  affectionate  kindness  to  his  creatures, 
pervades  his  immense  kingdom,  with  a  tenderness,  and  liveliness, 
and  intensity,  which  otherwise,  so  far  as  appears,  could  never 
have  been  known. 

Again,  my  brethren,  I  am  compelled  to  say,  how  faint  are 
our  clearest  views,  how  low  our  most  raised  conceptions,  of  the 
communion  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ! — But 
enough  may  have  been  seen,  to  show  to  every  mind  what  the 
spirit  of  the  gospel  is,  and  to  bring  home  to  every  heart  the  im- 
portance of  being  possessed  of  this  Spirit.  Enough,  surely, 
must  have  been  seen,  to  convince  every  hearer,  whose  mind  is 
open  to  conviction,  that  it  is  no  small  thing  to  be  a  christian — a 
true  communicant  in  the  great  design  of  Christ's  death.  O  that 
the  Spirit  of  all  grace  would  set  home  the  conviction,  with  an 
energy  to  dissolve  the  hardest  heart,  and  to  prostrate  the  most 
unyielding  mind  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  ! 


SERMON    XXX. 


PAUL  S    BENEVOLENCE    TOWARDS    HIS    NATION, 


*&» 


Romans  ix.  1 — 5. 

I  say  the  truth  in  Christy  I  lie  not,  my  conscience  also  bearing  me  wit- 
ness in  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  I  have  great  heaviness^  and  continual 
sorrow  in  my  heart :  For  I  could  wish  that  myself  were  accursed 
from  Christ,  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh  ; 
who  are  Israelites,  to  whom  pertaineth  the  adoption,  and  the  glory, 
and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  the  service  of 
God,  and  the  promises  ;  whose  are  the  fathers,  and  of  whom,  as  con- 
cerning the  flesh,  Christ  came,  who  is  God  over  all,  blessed  forever. 
Amen. 

Jc  EW  passages  of  the  holy  writings  have  more  engaged  the 
attention,  or  exercised  the  minds  of  various  classes  of  people, 
than  this.  To  the  commentator,  it  has  ministered  occasion  for 
great  latitude  of  criticism  ;  to  theorists,  for  much  adventurous 
speculation  ;  and  to  many,  of  dangerous  stumbling,  or  darken- 
ing perplexity.  It  is  scarcely  possible  for  the  passage  to  be 
read,  or  heard,  without  a  profound  impression  of  singular 
solemnity  and  pathos.  It  commences  witli  a  strong  assevera- 
tion, of  the  nature  of  an  oath.  7  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie 
not,  my  conscience  also  bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  I  have  great  heaviness,  and  continual  sorrow  in  my  heart. 
With  all  this  awful  sacredness  of  manner,  and  in  terms  of  no  or- 
dinary strength  and  intensity,  it  expresses  an  ardour — an  agony 


364  SERMON   XXX. 

of  concern,  almost  without  parallel  or  example.  I  could  wish 
that  myself  were  accursed  from  Christ,  for  my  brethren,  my  kins- 
men according  to  the  flesh.  And,  to  give  the  deeper  impression, 
circumstances  of  high  interest,  and  most  affecting  association, 
are  accumulated.  Who  are  Israelites  ;  to  xvhom  pertaineth  the 
adoption,  and  the  glory,  and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of 
the  law,  and  the  service  of  God,  and  the  promises  ;  whose  are 
the  fathers,  and  of  whom,  as  concerning  the  flesh,  Christ  came, 
who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  forever. 

Whatever  difficulties,  or  differences  of  opinion,  there  may 
be,  in  regard  to  particular  phrases,  or  points,  in  this  passage, 
there  can  be  none,  in  regard  to  its  general  scope,  or  main  pur- 
port. It  is,  most  clearly,  a  strong  expression  of  intensely  affec- 
tionate benevolence.  It  is  in  this  light,  precisely,  that  I  would 
now  hold  it  before  yoiu-  minds  ;  and  my  })urpose  is,  to  consider, 

I.  The  reasons  for  this  remarkable  expression  of  benevo- 
lence.    And, 

II.  The  manner  and  extent,  in  which  it  is  to  be  understood. 
It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  that  the  apostle  would  lightly  utter 

such  an  asseveration,  or  on  any  slight  occasion  thus  solemnly 
appeal  to  Christ,  who  trieth  the  reins  iand  hearts,  or  to  the  Koly 
Spirit,  who  searcheth  all  things,  yea  even  the  deep  things  of  God. 
What,  then,  were  the  reasons  for  this  earnest  and  solemn  ex-- 
pression  of  benevolent  affection  ? 

As  an  avowed  disciple  and  minister  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  it 
became  the  apostle  at  ail  times,  and  on  all  occasions,  to  mani- 
fest affectionate  kindness  and  good  will  towards  all  men.  It 
became  him  to  make  it  every  where  evident,  that  the  same  mind 
was  in  him,  which  was  also  in  his  divine  Master,  who  commend- 
ed his  love  towards  fallen  mankind,  in  that,  ivhile  we  ivcre  yet 
tnemies,  he  died  for  us.  And,  in  this  respect,  tlie  apostle  of  the 
Gentiles  was  eminently  distinguished.  No  other  man  ever  more 
clearly  or  more  constantly  evinced,  that  the  spirit  of  Christ,  the 
spirit  of  that  charity  which  seeketh  not  her  own,  and  which  suf- 
fereth  long  and  is  kind,  dwelt  and  ruled  in  his  heart. 

As  an  Hebreiv  of  the  Hebrews,  a  genuine  Israelite,  he  was 
connected  with  that  nation,  by  the  ties  of  affinity  and  of  blood, 


SERMON   XXX.  365 

.strengthened  by  all  thai  nature  and  grace  could  impart  to  them 
of  inierestj  and  tenderness,  and  force.  Not  only  were  they  liis 
brethren,  his  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh,  and,  as  such,  prop- 
erly objects  of  his  particular  attention  and  regard,  attachment 
and  concern  ;  but,  to  t-hem  belonged  many  circumstances  of  dis- 
tinction, most  deeply  interesting  to  every  true  friend  of  God 
and  man.  They  were  Israelites  ;  descendants  of  the  renowned 
Patriarch  who  had  power  with  God,  and  prevailed  ;  who  re- 
ceived a  new  name,  as  a  perpetual  memoiial  of  his  faith,  and 
his  interest  in  the  divine  favour  ;  and  to  whom  the  promise,  first 
made  to  Abraham,  was  renewed,  that  in  his  seed  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  should  be  blessed.  To  them  pertained  the  adoption, 
and  the  glory,  and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and 
the  service  of  God,  and  the  promises.  In  his  wise,  and  holy,  and 
gracious  sovereignt}-,  Jehovah  had  chosen  that  nation  out  of  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  to  be  a  peculiar  people  unto  himself; 
had  adopted  them,  by  solemnly  avouching  them  to  be  his  people, 
and  himself  to  be  their  God;  had  condescended  to  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  them,  in  a  visible  symbol  of  his  presence,  called  dis- 
tinctively, THE  GLORY  OF  THE  LoRD  ;  and  entered  into  special 
engagements  with  them,  in  the  form  of  covenants,  comprising 
invaluable  priv^ileges  and  endowments  ;  had  given  them  his  law 
of  perfect  rectitude  and  benignity,  and  his  ordinances  of  divine 
service,  suited  most  deeply  to  impress  them  with  the  beauties  of 
his  holiness,  the  condescensions  of  his  mercy,  and  the  riches 
of  his  grace,  and  to  conduct  them  to  immortaUty  and  glory  ;  and 
had  propounded  to  them  the  great  and  precious  promises,  which 
comprehend  all  the  blessings  to  be  conferred  on  mankmd,  in 
time  and  in  eternity.  Theirs  luere  the  fathers.  The  patriarchs, 
and  prophets,  and  righteous  men,  who  had  been  the  lights  of 
successive  ages,  were  their  progenitors.  And  of  them,  as  con- 
cerning the  flesh,  Christ  came,  who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  for- 
ever. The  long  promised  and  expected  Messiah,*  the  desire  of 
all  nations,  as  to  his  human  nature,  descended  from  their  patri- 
archs and  kings,  and  was  one  of  their  nation,  the  glory  of  his 
people  Israel,  and  to  he  for  salvation  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 


300  SERMON   XXX. 

Surely,  then,  as  a  man,  as  a  Hebrew,  as  a  christian,  as  a  de- 
voted friend  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  best  interests  of 
mankind,  the  apostle  could  not  but  regard  the  Hebrew  nation 
with  the  most  ardent  sensibility  ;  for  he  found,  intimately  ass«- 
ciated  with  them,  all  that  was  dear  to  his  affections,  and  pre- 
cious to  his  hopes. 

At  the  same  time,  however,  there  also  pertained  to  them 
circumstances,  facts,  and  prospects,  which  could  not  fail  to  pene- 
trate his  heart  with  the  keenest  anguish.  As  a  people,  they  had 
forsaken  God  that  made  them,  and  lightly  esteemed  the  Rock  of 
their  salvation.  They  had  provoked  him  to  jealousy.  They 
had  killed  his  prophets,  and  stoned  his  messengers,  who  had 
been  sent  unto  them.  And,  when  the  Son  of  God  appeared 
among  them,  full  of  grace  and  truth,  they  had  despised  and  re- 
jected him  ;  hated  both  him  and  his  Fadier  ;  and  filled  up  the 
measure  of  their  iniquity,  by  nailing  him  to  the  cross,  and  by 
afterwards  persecuting  his  followers,  refusing  his  offered  grace, 
and  resisting  the  Holy  Ghost,  sent  down  with  power  to  accom- 
pany the  publication  of  his  gospel. 

All  this  was  laid  up  in  store  with  God,  and  sealed  up  among 
his  treasures ;  to  him  belonged  vengeance  and  recompense ; 
and  the  day  of  tremendous  crisis  had  arrived.  They  who  had 
been  so  long  honoured  with  the  name,  and  favoured  with  the 
high  privileges  of  his  people,  having  thus  broken  the  everlasting 
covenant,  forfeited  their  inestimable  blessings,  and  distinctions, 
and  incurred  his  righteous  indignation,  were  now  to  be  disown- 
ed and  cast  off.  Their  city  was  to  be  destroyed  ;  their  Jioly 
and  their  beautiful  house  was  to  be  razed  to  its  foundations;  and 
they  were  to  be  destroyed  or  scattered  among  the  nations,  for  a 
bveword  and  a  hissing  to  all  people,  far  from  God,  from  faith, 
and  from  hope,  for  many  generations. 

This  dreadful  dereliction,  with  all  its  appalling  and  excruci- 
ating circumstances,  of  guilt  and  of  misery,  was  present  to  the 
mind  of  the  inspired  apostle.  His  divine  Lord  and  Master  had 
before  wept  over  the  approaching  scene  ;  and  no  wonder  that 
he  himself  should  agonize,  in  contemplation  of  its  nearer  ap- 
proach, and  its  thickening  horrours. 


SERMON   XXX.  307 

Already,  in  a  former  part  of  this  epistle,  he  had  glanced  up- 
on this  distressing  subject  of  the  rejection  of  his  nation  ;  and 
now  he  was  about  to  bring  it  under  direct  and  explicit  discus- 
sion. Besides  the  extreme  painfulness  of  the  subject  in  itself, 
knowing  as  much  as  he  did  of  human  nature,  he  could  not  but 
be  aware,  that  his  unbelieving  countrymen  would  be  greatly  ex- 
asperated by  what  he  had  to  deliver  upon  it,  and  would  be 
ready  to  injpute  it  to  an  uncharitable  and  malevolent  disposition. 
For  such  an  apprehension  he  had  the  greater  reason,  since  on 
account  of  his  extraordinary  conversion  to  the  christian  faith, 
his  zeal  in  the  cause,  and  especially  his  devotedness  to  the  ser- 
vice of  Christ,  among  the  Gentile  nations,  he  was  regarded,  by 
his  countrymen,  with  the  most  wakeful  jealousy,  and  persecut- 
ed with  the  most  rancorous  resentment.  It  was,  therefore, 
strongly  to  be  anticipated,  that  his  statements  and  representa- 
tions, respecting  the  rejection  of  the  Jews,  and  the  reception  of 
the  Gentiles,  would  be  attributed,  not  to  mere  want  of  afl'ection 
and  attachment  to  his  countrymen,  but  even  to  feelings  of  ani- 
mosity and  revenge.  Such,  my  brethren,  appear  to  have  been 
the  reasons  for  the  apostle's  singularly  solemn  and  energetick 
expression  of  affectionate  benevolence,  towards  the  people  of  his 
nation.  And  these  reasons,  you  will  perceive,  were  of  great 
-Strength  and  urgency. — Let  us  now,  as  proposed. 

II.  Consider  the  manner,  and  extent,  in  which  this  extraor- 
dinary expression  of  benevolence  is  to  be  understood. 

/  have  great  heaviness,  says  the  apostle,  with  a  solemn  ap- 
peal to  Christ,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost;  I  have  great  heaviness, 

and  continual  sorrow  in  my  heart, For  I  could  wish 

that  myself  were  accursed  from  Christ,  for  my  brethren,  my  kins- 
men according  to  the  flesh. 

The  difficulty  in  understanding  this  expression  lies  in  the 
phrase,  accursed  from  Christ.  This  phrase  has  been  urgently 
criticised,  and  variously  interpreted  ;  but  a  recital  of  the  differ- 
ent criticisms  and  interpretations,  would  not  conduce  much  to 
your  edification.  I  pray  God,  that,  in  what  may  now  be  at- 
tempted, no  violence  may  be  done  to  tb.e  text,  nor  its  meaning 
be  perverted  or  obscured. 


308  SERMON   XXX. 

The  vvoi'd,  here  rendered  accursed,  occurs  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament, only  in  a  few  instances.  The  word  is  anathema  ;  the 
primary  signification  of  which  is,  a  thing,  or  person,  separated, 
or  set  apart.  In  sacred  acceptation,  it  means  a  thing,  or  a  per- 
son, separated,  or  set  apart,  from  a  common,  to  a  sacred  use;  and, 
in  its  strongest  and  ultimate  sense,  it  denotes  a  thing,  or  a  per- 
son, not  merely  set  apart  for  sacred  use,  hut  devoted  as  a  victim 
for  sacrifice,  or  destruction.  In  this  sense,  the  word  was  in  use 
with  the  ancient  Pagans.  A  victim,  whether  beast,  or  human 
person,  devoted  to  the  gods  for  sacrifice  upon  the  altar,  or  to  be 
slain  for  the  good  of  the  nation,  was  called  anathema. 

In  the  siivth  chapter  of  the  book  of  Joshua,  we  read  concern- 
ing Jericho,  And  the  city  shall  be  accursed,  even  it,  and  all  that 
are  therein,  to  the  Lord ;  only  Rahalj  the  harlot  shall  live,  she, 
and  all  that  are  with  her  in  the  house,  because  she  hid  the  mes- 
sengers that  ive  sent.  And  ye,  in  any  wise,  keep  yourselves  from 
the  accursed  thing,  lest  ye  make  yourselves  accursed,  when  ye 
take  of  the  accursed  thing,  and  make  the  camp  of  Israel  a  curse, 
and  trouble  it.  The  meaning  here  is  plain.  Excepting  Rahab, 
and  those  in  the  house  with  her,  the  city,  and  all  that  were  in 
it,  were  set  apart  from  common  use,  and  devoted  to  the  Lord. 
The  silver  and  gold,  and  vessels  of  brass  and  of  iron,  as  after- 
wards appears,  were  to  be  brought  into  the  treasury  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  residue  was  devoted  to  destruction.  Achan  partook  of 
the  accursed  thing,  and  became  himself  accursed  ;  and  he  was, 
accordingly,  stoned  to  death,  and  then  burned  with  fire,  as  a 
victim. 

The  word  was  in  use  among  the  Jews,  in  the  days  of  Christ 
and  his  apostles.  Their  form  of  excommunication  from  the 
synagogue,  or  from  the  Jewish  church,  began  with  the  words- 
anathcma  maranatha ;  and  the  meaning  was,  that  the  excommu- 
nicated person  was  solemnly  separated  from  the  community  of 
God's  people,  and  was  to  be  regarded  as  under  a  curse,  and 
devoted  to  destruction,  until  he  should  repent,  and  make  his 
peace.  The  apostle  seems  to  use  the  word  in  a  similar  sense, 
when  he  says,  in  the  close  of  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians, 
If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  anathema. 


SERMON  XXX.  309 

■aiARANATHA  ;  and  in  the  first  of  Galatians,   If  any  man  preach 
any  other  gospel  unto  you,  than  that  ye  have  received,  let  him  be 

ACCUKSED. 

To  be  accursed,  then,  or  made  anathema,  was  to  be  set 
apart  as  a  victim  marked  for  publick  vengeance.  Such,  in  all 
probability,  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  in  the  text. 

Still,  there  is  a  question,  as  to  the  extent  of  the  meaning. 
Is  it  Umited  to  time  ?  or,  does  it  extend  to  eternity  .'* 

Achan  was  made  accursed,  and  he  was  stoned  to  death  ; 
but  we  do  not  know  that  he  was  devoted  to  eternal  destruction. 
The  apostle,  undoubtedly,  did  not  mean  absolutely  to  devote  to 
eternal  destruction  every  person,  who  did  not,  at  the  time,  love 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  or  every  preacher  of  another  gospel.  In  a 
word,  the  idea  of  eternal  destruction  was  not  necessarily  includ- 
ed in  the  terra  anathema,  as  used  by  the  Pagans,  by  the  Jews, 
or  by  the  primitive  christians.  Is  there,  then,  any  special  rea- 
son for  supposing  it  is  included  in  the  word,  as  used  in  our  text  ? 

Accursed  from  Christ.  By  some,  the  phrase  is  rendered 
accursed  after  the  manner,  or  example,  of  Christ.  This  render- 
ing does  no  violence  to  the  original,  and  is  adopted  by  some 
commentators  of  honoured  and  excellent  name.  Christ  was 
made  anathema ;  was  excommunicated  by  the  Jews ;  was  de- 
voted, as  the  High  Priest  expressed  it,  to  die  for  the  nation  ;  was 
set  apart,  and  marked  as  a  victim,  for  publick  divine  vengeance. 
He  was  made  a  curse  for  us,  and  tasted  death  for  every  man. 
To  have  been  made  anathema  for  his  brethren,  his  kinsmen, 
after  the  manner  of  Christ,  the  apostle  must  have  been  separat- 
ed, as  an  excommunicated  person,  marked  as  a  victim  for  pub- 
lick divine  vengeance,  and  suffered  and  died  ignominiously  for 
them.  And,  had  it  actually  been  thus  with  him,  he  might  have 
been  said  to  be  accursed  from  Christ,  agreeably  to  the  render- 
ing in  our  translation  ;  for  he  would  have  been  separated  from 
the  community  of  Christ,  as  a  marked  victim,  and  as  such  en- 
dured publick  vengeance. 

It  may  deserve  to  be  noted,  also,  that  in  this  there  would 
have  been  a  resemblance  to  what  was  so  distressing  to  him,  in 
the  case  of  his  nation.  Thcv  were  to  be  cast  off,  as  not  beins 
47 


370  SERMON   XXX. 

of  the  community  of  Christ,  or  of  God,  to  which,  before,  they 
had  been  considered  as  belonging.  To  be  sure,  all  of  them, 
vviio  continued  in  unbelief,  would  perish  eternally,  as  will  all 
final  unbehevers  of  every  nation  ;  but  the  rejection  of  them, 
which  the  apostle  had  distinctly  in  view,  was  not,  itself,  an  ab- 
solute devotement  to  eternal  destruction. 

There  appears,  then,  to  be  no  necessity  for  understanding 
the  phrase  as  meaning  eternal  destruction,  or  everlasting  sepa- 
ration from  Christ ;  since  the  apostle  might,  in  a  strict  and 
proper  sense,  have  been  made  anathema,  or  accursed  from 
Christ,  and  yet  been  finally  saved,  and  admitted  to  the  everlast- 
ing enjoyment  of  his  God  and  Saviour,  in  the  kingdom  of  glory. 

Unquestionably,  however,  the  apostle  did  mean  to  express  a 
willingness  to  endure  very  great  suffering — the  utmost  extremity 
of  suffering,  indeed,  which,  in  the  exercise  of  love  to  God  and 
man,  he  could  endure  ;  if,  by  that  means,  the  impending  catas- 
trophe of  his  nation  might  be  averted.  He  would  willingly  have 
suffered  death  ;  for  he  counted  not  his  life  dear  unto  himself, 
when  put  in  competition  with  the  honour  of  Christ,  or  the  sal- 
vation of  men.  He  would  willingly  have  been  separated  from 
the  community  of  Christ,  been  regarded  and  ti'eated  as  an  out- 
cast, and  made  a  victim  for  publick  vengeance.  Nor  is  it  to  be 
supposed  that,  in  the  intenseness  of  his  feelings,  he  was  at  all 
particular,  in  regard  to  any  limitations,  as  to  the  kind,  the  dura- 
tion, or  the  quantity,  of  the  sufferings  to  be  endured,  provided 
the  end,  which  his  benevolence  ardently  desired,  might  thereby 
have  been  attained. 

But,  all  this  he  might  feel,  without  being  willing  to  be 
separated  from  Christ,  in  such  a  sense  as  to  be  alienated  in 
heart  from  him,  and  to  become  his  enemy.  To  be  willing  to 
be  a  SUFFERER  is  one  thing;  to  be  willing  to  be  a  sinner  is 
another.  Christ,  our  great  exemplar,  was  willing  to  suffer,  and 
did  suffer,  as  a  curse  for  us,  and  was  so  separated  as  a  victim 
for  publick  vengeance,  as  to  cry  out,  in  unmeasured  agony,  My 
God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?  Butj  all  this  was 
without  sin  ;  without  becoming  the  enemy  of  God,  or  of  men. 
And  who  would  not  be  filled  with  horrour  at  the  impiety  of  the 


SERMON   XXX.  371 

thought,  that,  with  all  his  benevolence  towards  mankind,  Christ 
would  have  been  willing,  for  their  sakes,  to  be  a  sinner  in  their 
stead,  alienated  from  God  his  Father,  from  truth,  from  righteous- 
ness, from  all  goodness,  even  for  a  moment  ? 

To  be  an  enemy  of  God,  is  to  be  an  enemy  to  his  kingdom  ; 
an  enemy  to  all  the  true  holiness  and  happiness  in  the  universe. 
Can  a  more  palpable  contradiction  be  imagined  then,  than  to 
suppose  that  one  may  love,  either  God  or  men,  with  such  purity 
and  intensity  of  benevolence,  as  to  be  willing,  for  the  glory  of 
God,  or  for  the  happiness  of  men,  to  be  eternally  the  enemy  of 
both  .''  Is  it  not  the  consummation  of  contradiction,  to  suppose, 
tliat  the  more  purely  and  intensely  we  love  God  and  men,  the 
more  willing  we  shall  be  to  become  alienated  from  them,  and  to 
hate  them  with  perfect  and  everlasting  enmity  ? 

If  still  it  be  urged,  that  we  ought  to  be  willing  to  be  any 
thing,  and  to  do  any  thing,  which  would  be  for  the  gloiy  oi 
God,  or  for  the  highest  good  of  his  kingdom  ;  it  is  admitted  that, 
for  his  glory,  and  the  good  of  his  kingdom,  we  ought  to  be  wil- 
ling to  be,  to  do,  and  to  suffer,  all  that  he  requires  of  us.  More 
than  this,  is  voluntary  humility  and  will-worship,  which  he 
abominates.  But,  surely,  God  does  not  require  of  us  absurdi- 
ties and  contradictions. — He  requires  us,  indeed,  to  love  him  ; 
but  not  so  to  love  as  to  be  willing  to  hate  him.  He  requires  us 
to  seek  his  glory  ;  but  not  so  to  seek  it  as  to  be  willing  to  de- 
stroy it.  He  requires  us  to  love  our  fellow  beings,  and  to  seek 
their  good ;  but  not  so  to  love  them,  and  seek  their  good,  as  to 
be  willing  to  rage  with  eternal  enmity  against  them,  and  all  that 
constitutes  their  happiness. 

People  are  too  often  perplexed  and  misled  by  hypothetical 
propositions,  in  which  something  is  assumed,  which  is  utterly 
inadmissible.  Of  this  kind  is  the  proposition,  that  we  ought  to 
be  wiUing  to  sin  for  the  glory  of  God.  No  person  ever  did,  or 
ever  can,  glorify  God,  by  sinning.  God  may,  indeed,  glorify 
himself  by  means  of  sin  ;  by  the  instrumentality,  or  the  ])unish- 
ment  of  sinners.  But,  what  God  does  is  one  thing  ;  what  we 
do  is  another.  He  requires  us  to  glorify  him  in  all  things  ;  and 
this  we  can  do  only  by  loving,  obeying,  and  serving  hiu)  with  all 
our  hearts  and  powers.     And,  with  just  as  much  truth  might  it  hr 


372  SERMON  XXX. 

said,  that  we  ought  to  be  willing  that  God  should  falsify  his 
word,  break  his  promises,  or  abrogate  his  law,  if  it  would  be 
for  his  glory,  and  the  good  of  his  kingdom,  as  it  can  be  said 
that,  for  these  objects,  a  christian  ought  to  be  willing  to  be  a  sin- 
ner, a  reprobate,  an  eternal  enemy  of  all  good.  Nor  would 
there  be  any  end  to  hypothetical  propositions  of  a  similar  kind. 

The  memorable  case  of  Moses  is  commonly  coupled  with 
this  of  Paul.  At  the  command  of  God,  and  under  his  special 
guidance,  Moses  had  conducted  the  chosen  tribes  out  of  Egypt, 
for  the  purpose  of  taking  possession  of  the  land  of  promise.  At 
Horeb,  the  people  sinned  a  great  sin,  in  the  matter  of  the  golden 
calf.  God  was  angry  with  them,  and,  in  his  righteous  indigna- 
tion, proposed  to  Moses  that  they  should  be  destroyed,  and  that 
of  him  should  be  made  a  great  nation,  which  should  be  put  in 
possession  of  the  land.  Moses  was  overwhelmed  with  distress, 
and  prayed  that,  if  it  were  possible,  their  sin  might  be  forgiven ; 
but,  if  not,  and  they  must  be  destroyed,  that  he,  also,  might  die 
with  them  ;  as  he  could  not  endure  the  thought  of  surviving,  to 
witness  their  destruction,  and  the  reproach  which  he  supposed 
would  consequently  be  brought  upon  Jehovah's  name,  among 
the  surrounding  heathen  nations.  This,  most  evidently,  is  the 
import  of  his  prayer,  And  now,  if  thou  wilt,  forgive  their  sin  ; 
and  if  not,  blot  me,  J  pray  thee,  out  of  thy  book,  which  thou  hast 
written ; — not  the  book  of  eternal  life  ;  but  the  book,  or  regis- 
ter, for  the  inheritance  of  the  promised  land,  from  which  the 
whole  nation  was  then  threatened  to  be  blotted  out. 

On  the  whole,  neither  the  case  of  Paul,  nor  that  of  Moses, 
when  duly  considered,  afford  any  support  to  the  doctrine  of  be- 
ing willing  to  be  eternal  reprobates,  enemies  to  all  good,  and  ob- 
jects of  just  abhorrence  to  all  holy  beings,  for  the  glory  of  God, 
or  for  the  salvation  of  mankind. 

REFLECTIONS. 

1.  The  holy  apostle,  in  what  has  now  been  under  our  con- 
sideration, is  an  example  for  us. 

We  have  here  an  instance  of  genuine  and  ardent  benevolence. 
According  to  this  example,  it  is  right  that  we  should  feel  an  af- 
fectionate attachment  to  our  kindred,  our  connections,  and  our 


SERMON  XXX.  37.3 

nation  ;  that  we  should  take  a  paiticulaily  Hvely  interest  in  their 
welfare,  and  especially  in  their  spintual  wcli'arc,  and  eternal  sal- 
v-ation ;  and  that  we  shoidd  be  willing  to  labour  and  suffer  for 
them  all  that  we  can  conformably  to  the  will  of  God,  and  our 
duty  to  him,  and  to  others- of  mankind.  Nor  should  this  affec- 
tionate benevolence  be  abated,  by  any  ingratitude  or  unkind- 
ness,  which  we  may  experience.  From  the  people  of  his  na- 
tion, towards  whom  he  expresses  such  an  ardour  of  affectionate 
good  will,  Paul  had  received  the  most  unkind  and  cruel  treat- 
ment ;  and,  at  the  moment  of  this  expression  of  his  strong 
affection,  he  was  the  object  of  their  unrelenting  jealousy,  and 
hatred,  and  persecution.  Neither  should  our  benevolence  to- 
wards our  connections,  or  others,  be  abated,  on  account  of  their 
opposition  to  the  truth,  or  hostility  to  the  cause  and  kingdom  of 
the  Lord  Jesus ;  but  these  very  circumstances,  strongly  as  the} 
should  excite  our  disapprobation,  should  serve  to  awaken  in  us 
the  more  lively  and  affectionate  concern  for  them,  and  to  en- 
gage our  more  earnest  desires  and  endeavours  for  their  good. 
It  was  on  account  of  their  enmity  to  the  truth,  and  hostility  lo 
the  Lord  Jesus  and  his  cause,  especially,  that  Paul  had  such 
great  heaviness  and  continual  sorrow  in  his  heart  for  them,  and 
was  ready  to  suffer,  to  the  utmost  extremity,  on  their  behalf. 
But,  with  all  our  ardent  attachment  to  our  kindred,  connections, 
and  friends,  we  should  also  exercise  a  fervent  benevolence  to- 
wards others.  Strongly  as  Paul  was  attached  to  his  brethren, 
and  his  nation,  he  felt  himself  to  be  debtor  also  to  the  Greeks, 
and  to  the  barbarians,  and  made  the  most  astonishing  efibrts  for 
their  conversion  and  salvation.  In  all  this,  he  followed  his  di- 
vine Master,  who,  though  he  was  rich,  for  our  sakes  became 
poor,  that  we,  through  his  poverty,  might  be  rich,  and  tasted 
death  for  every  man.  This  was  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ 
Jesus.     My  brethren,  is  the  same  mind  in  us  ? 

2.  It  occurs,  as  an  obvious  reflection,  that  it  is  not  incom- 
patible with  the  most  perfect  benevolence  and  affectionate  at- 
tachment, to  endeavour  to  convince  people  of  their  errours,  plainly 
to  declare  to  them  the  truth,  or  faithfully  and  ^olrmnlv  to  uaro 
them  of  their  danger. 


o74  SERMON   XXX. 

All  this  was  done  by  Paul,  towards  those  for  whose  sakes, 
he  would  willingly  have  offered  himself  a  victim  for  publick 
vengeance.  Wherever  he  went  preaching  the  gospel,  he  la- 
boured, most  earnestly,  to  convince  the  Jews  of  their  de^tiuc- 
live  errour,  and  warned  them,  in  the  plainest  and  most  soienm 
manner,  of  the  woful  consequences  of  persisting  in  their  unbe- 
lief. Even  in  this  very  epistle,  which  bears  such  decisive  tes- 
timony to  the  sincerity  and  strength  of  his  affection,  he  exposes 
their  errours,  and  represents  their  guilt  and  their  danger  in  the 
strongest  light. 

3.  It  deserves  to  be  distinctly  noted,  that  the  highest  out- 
\yard  privileges  are  no  security  against  final  perdition. 

The  Jews  were  a  most  highly  favoured  people  ;  lifted,  in 
respect  to  their  privileges,  as  it  were  even  to  heaven.  In  their 
privileges,  too,  they  trusted,  and  of  thera  made  their  boast. 
We  have  Abraham,  said  they,  to  our  father.  The  temple  of  the 
Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord  are  these. 
And  they  seemed  to  imagine  that  hardly  were  any  other  nation, 
or  people,  to  have  any  share  in  the  favour  and  kingdom  of  God, 
or  in  the  attention  and  benevolence  of  his  friends.  But  it  was 
a  vain  confidence,  and  a  boast  most  offensive  to  heaven.  Ac- 
cording to  the  awful  predictions  of  the  prophets,  and  denunci- 
ations of  the  Saviour,  they  were  rejected  and  cast  off,  wrath 
came  upon  them  to  the  uttermost,  and  they  are  to  this  day  a 
signal  memento  and  warning  to  all  people,  not  to  trust  in  out- 
ward privileges,  and  to  beware  that  they  receive  not  the  grace  of 
God  in  vain.  While  we  should  feel  for  that  unbeheving  and 
guilty  nation,  in  some  good  measure  as  the  holy  apostle  felt, 
every  individual  should  be  concerned  for  himself,  and  for  others 
around  him,  that  the  same,  or  a  similar   doom   be  not  incurred. 

You,  my  beloved  friends,  have  all,  indeed,  abundant  cause 
for  thankfulness,  that  the  gospel,  with  all  its  privileges,  is  still 
continued  to  you  ;  that  you  are  not  yet  cast  far  away  from  grace, 
and  from  hope.  O  do  not  let  it  be  in  vain.  Do  not  let  these 
precious  privileges  become  a  savour  of  death  unto  death  to  you  ; 
but  flee  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  which  is  set  before 
you.  Remember,  too,  that  notv  is  the  accepted  time ;  behold, 
now  is  the  day  of  salvation. 


SERMON    XXXI. 


DIVINE    GLORY    DISPLAYED    IN    BUILDING    UP    ZION, 


Psalm  cli.   16. 
When  the  Lord  shall  build  up  Zioii,  he  shall  appear  in  his  glorij. 

^(lON  is  dear  to  the  heart  of  every  friend  of  God.  In  this 
pathetick  psalm,  the  sweet  singer  of  Israel  expressed  his  strong 
affection  to  Zion,  and  his  tender  concern  for  her  advancement 
and  prosperity,  in  a  manner  peculiarly  striking  and  affecting. 
The  psalm  is  entitled,  "  A  prayer  of  the  afflicted,  when  he  is 
overwhelmed,  and  poureth  out  his  complaint  before  the  Lord  ;" 
and  a  more  moving  description,  or  representation,  of  a  state  of 
deep  affliction  and  distress,  is,  perhaps,  no  where  to  be  found. 
Hear  my  prayer,  O  Lord,  and  let  my  cry  come  unto  thee.  Hide 
not  thy  face  from  me  in  the  day  when  I  am.  in  trouble  ;  in- 
cline thine  ear  unto  me ;  in  the  day  when  I  call,  answer  me 
speedily.  For  my  days  are  consumed  like  smoke,  and  my  bones 
are  burned  as  an  hearth.  My  heart  is  smitten  and  ivithered  like 
grass  ;  so  that  I  forget  to  eat  my  bread.  By  reason  of  the  voice 
of  my  groaning,  my  bones  cleave  to  my  skin.  I  am  like  a  peli- 
can of  the  wilderness  ;  I  am  tike  an  owl  of  the  desert.  I  watch 
and  am  as  a  sparrow  alone  upon  the  house  top.  Mine  enemies 
reproach  me  all  the  day  ;  and  they  that  are  mad  against  me  are 
sworn  against  me.  For  I  have  eaten  ashes  like  bread,  and 
mingled  my  drink  with  loeeping ;  because  of  thint  indignation 
and  thy  wrath;  for  thou  hast  lifted  me  up,  and  cast  me  down. 


376  SERMON   XXXL 

My  days  are  like  a  shadow  that  dccUneth,  and  I  am  withered 
like  grass.  Such  is  the  pathetick  manner  in  which  the  afflicted 
psahnist  pours  out  his  complaint  into  the  bosom  of  his  God. 
But  mark  the  transition  in  his  feelings,  and  the  ground  on  which 
he  at  once  takes  comfort.  In  the  midst  of  his  affliction,  and  of 
his  complaint,  he  turns  his  view  from  his  own  case,  to  the  ever- 
lasting blessedness  of  God,  and  his  special  favour  towards  Zion, 
and  is  comforted.  But  thou,  O  Lord,  shalt  endure  forever,  and 
thy  remembrance  vnto  all  generations.  Thou  shalt  arise  and 
have  mercy  upon  Zion;  for  the  time  to  favour  her,  yea,  the  set 
time,  is  come.  For  thy  servants  take  pleasure  in  her  stones,  and 
favour  the  dust  thereof.  So  the  heathen  shall  fear  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  and  all  the  kings  of  the  earth  thy  glory.  When  the 
Lord    shall    build  up  Zion,    he    shall    appear  in  his 

6L0Kr. 

Zion  was  the  name  anciently  given  to  the  city  of  the  sacred 
solemaides  of  the  church,  the  place  where  the  Lord  was  pleased 
to  record  his  name,  the  holy  mount  whither  the  tribes  went  vp, 
the  tribes  of  the  Lord  unto  the  testimony  of  Israel,  to  give  thanks 
unto  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Hence,  the  name  was  very  natural- 
ly transferred  to  the  church,  which  had  her  principal  seat  there. 

Casually,  however,  as  this  name  may  seem  to  have  come  to 
be  applied  to  the  church,  it  is  peculiarly  significant  and  appro- 
priate. The  church,  which  the  Lord  has  redeemed  with  his 
own  blood,  is  indeed,  and  in  a  preeminent  sense,  Zion,  a  monu- 
ment raised  up.  It  is  a  monument  raised  up,  in  the  view  of 
astonished  worlds,  to  the  honour  and  eternal  praise  of  her  Re- 
deemer and  God.  As  David,  after  he  had  conquered  the 
fortress  of  Zion,  and  taken  it  from  the  Jebusites,  enlarged  and 
beautified  it,  and  made  it  the  place  of  his  royal  residence  ;  so 
the  Lord,  having  subdued,  by  his  all  conquering  grace,  and 
taken  from  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  the  church  of  his  redeem- 
ed, has  declared  his  determination  to  make  this  holy  city  the 
perfection  of  beauty,  and  his  favoured  habitation  through  the 
Spirit  forever.  And,  when  the  Lord,  shall  build  up  Zion,  he 
shall  appear  in  his  glory.  In  this  discourse,  I  shall  endeavour 
to  show, 


SERMON  XXXI.  377 

I.  "What  is  implied  in  the  Lord's  building  up  Zion.     And, 

II.  That  in  building  up  Zion  he  will  appear  in  his  glory. 
I.  What  is  implied  in  the  Lord's  building  up  Zion  ? 

It  may  be  answered,  in  brief,  when  the  Lord  shall  build  up 
Zion,  he  will  augment  her  numbers ;  he  will  increase  her  light 
and  her  graces ;  he  will  subdue  her  enemies  and  multiply  her 
triumphs. 

In  building  up  Zion,  the  Lord  will  augment  Uer  numbers. 
He  will  make  additions  unto  her  of  such  as  shall  be  saved.  And, 
my  brethren,  how  great  and  how  glorious  a  thing  is  this  !  Mul- 
titudes might,  indeed,  be  added  to  the  visible  church,  while  yet 
in  a  state  of  unrenewed  nature  ;  and  the  addition,  instead  of 
being  any  matter  of  grateful  wonder  and  joy,  would  be  matter 
of  deep  regret,  and  of  great  lamentation.  But,  a  single  soul 
added  to  Zion,  in  deed  and  in  truth,  does  it  not  imply  a  brand 
plucked  from  the  burning  ;  an  immortal  being  snatched  from  the 
jaws  of  eternal  death  ;  a  blind,  depraved,  polluted  creature,  en- 
lightened by  divine  influence,  renewed  by  divine  grace,  washed 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  united  to  him  by  a  living  faith,  joined 
to  him  and  to  his  people  by  the  most  sacred  and  indissoluble 
bonds,  and  advanced  from  strength  to  strength,  until  admitted  to 
the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born  in  heaven  ?  By 
additions  such  as  this,  Zion  is  built  up,  the  kingdom  of  Satan  is 
weakened  and  diminished,  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  strength- 
ened and  enlarged. 

There  was  a  time  when  but  kw^  perhaps  less  than  eight 
souls,  composed  the  whole  church  on  earth.  Noah  and  his  fam- 
ily, secured  in  the  ark  from  the  universal  destruction  of  the  un- 
godly world  around  them,  constituted  the  whole  of  the  Lord's 
militant  church.  In  the  days  of  Abraham,  the  visible  church 
was  small ;  but,  from  that  memorable  period  down  to  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah,  many  were  added  to  the  church,  of  such  as  the 
Lord  would  raise  to  his  heavenly  kingdom.  Even  in  the  dark 
and  degenerate  days  of  Elijah,  the  Lord  had  reserved  to  himself 
seven  thousand  men,  who  bowed  not  the  knee  to  the  image  of 
Baal,  in  the  kingdom  of  Israel ;  besides  the  numerous  people 
which  he  had  at  the  same  time,  in  the  kii^gdvmi  of  Judali,  the 
48 


378  SERMON  XXXI. 

fruits  of  the  extensive  and  remarkable  reformation,  under  the 
reign  of  the  pious  Jehoshaphat.  When  the  Messiah  made  his 
appearance  in  the  flesh,  a  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles,  and  the 
glory  of  his  people  Israel^  to  perform  the  mercy  promised  unto 
the  fathers,  and  to  remember  the  holy  covenant,  the  Spirit  was 
poured  out  from  on  high,  and  many  of  the  children  of  Israel  were 
turned  unto  the  Lord  their  God.  After  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  the  middle  wall  of  partition  being  broken  down,  the 
Lord  arose  upon  his  church,  and  his  glory  ivas  seen  upon  her, 
and  the  Gentiles  came  to  her  light,  and  kings  to  the  brightness 
of  her  rising.  During  the  three  hundred  years,  from  the  days 
of  the  apostles  to  the  reign  of  Constantine  the  great,  the  converts 
to  righteousness  were  numerous,  and  the  limits  of  Zion  were 
vastly  extended.  And  if,  from  the  time  of  Constantine,  to  the 
reformation  in  the  days  of  Luther  and  Calvin,  the  increase  of 
the  church  was  comparatively  small ;  yet,  in  the  time  of  the 
reformation,  thousands  were  turned  from  darkness  to  light,  and 
from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God.  From  that  period  down  to 
the  present  day,  many  have  been  the  happy  and  glorious  revi- 
vals of  religion,  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  and  great  have 
been  the  numbers  of  those  whom  the  Lord  has  added  to  his 
church.  Thus,  in  ages  and  generations  past,  has  the  Lord  been 
pleased  to  build  up  Zion,  by  augmenting  her  numbers.  In  this 
way,  also,  is  he  building  up  Zion,  in  different  parts  of  the  earth, 
and  of  our  land,  even  in  the  present  day.  And  in  this  way  will 
he  continue  to  build  up  Zion,  until  the  kingdom,  and  the  great- 
ness of  the  kingdom,  and  the  dominion  under  the  whole  heaven, 
shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  most  high  God, 
and  the  ivhole  earth  shall  be  filed  with  the  knowledge  of  his 
glory.     But, 

Li  building  up  Zion,  the  Lord  will  not  only  augment  her 
numbers  ;  he  will  also  increase  her  light  and  her  graces. 

As  the  light  of  revelation  shone  with  a  gradual  increase,  until 
the  whole  was  completed  ;  so  shall  the  path  of  the  just  shine 
more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day.  Yes,  the  knowledge  of 
Zion  shall  increase,  until  the  light  of  the  moon  become  as  the  light 
of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  shall  be  seven  fold,  as  ihr 


SERMON   XXXI.  379 

light  of  seven  days.  As  a  good  man  increases  in  knowledge, 
until  he  arrives  at  the  heavenly  world  ;  so  the  church  of  Christ, 
as  a  body,  will  increase  in  her  knowledge,  until  the  final  con- 
summation. Noah  had,  doubtless,  greater  degrees  of  light  than 
Abel,  Abraham  greater  than  Noah,  Moses  than  Abraham,  David 
than  Moses,  Isaiah  than  David,  John  the  Baptist  than  Isaiah,  and 
the  apostles  of  Christ  than  John  the  Baptist.  Light  has,  also, 
greatly  increased  in  the  church,  since  the  days  of  the  apostles  ; 
and  in  the  millennial  reign  of  the  saints,  the  light  of  the  church 
will  be  inconceivably  brighter  than  ever  before  it  shall  have 
been.  The  Lord  hath  said  to  Zion,  Thy  watchmen  shall  lift 
up  the  voice ;  with  the  voice  together  shall  they  sing  ;  for  they 
shall  see  eye  to  eye,  when  the  Lord  shall  bring  again  Zion. — 
They  shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his  neighbour,  and  every 
man  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the  Lord  ;  for  they  shall  all  know 
me,  from  the  least  of  them  unto  the  greatest  of  them. — For  the 
earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters 
cover  the  sea. — The  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all 
flesh  shall  see  it  together. — /  toill  make  darkness  light  before 
them. — The  temple  of  the  Lord  shall  be  opened  in  heaven,  and 
there  shall  be  seen  the  ark  of  his  testament.  So  great  shall  be 
the  accession  of  light,  that  heaven  shall  be  as  it  were  opened  to 
the  church  on  earth. 

As  in  building  up  Zion,  God  increases  her  light,  so  will  he 
also  increase  her  holiness.  Certainly  there  is  great  room  for  an 
increase  of  holiness  in  the  church ;  and,  under  the  mcreasing 
light,  and  the  gracious  influences  of  the  divine  Spirit,  with  which 
the  church  will  be  favoured,  when  the  Lord  shall  build  her  up, 
her  graces  will  undoubtedly  be  proportionably  increased.  He 
that  is  feeble  among  them,  at  that  day,  shall  be  as  David,  and 
the  house  of  David  shall  be  as  God,  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
before  them. 

An  increase  of  holiness  implies  an  increase  of  Jove  to  God, 
and  of  love  to  men,  of  repentance,  humility,  faith,  joy  in  the 
Lord,  and  every  holy  exercise  ;  and,  as  her  holiness  increases, 
Zion  shall  put  on  her  beautiful  garments,  and  the  external  de- 
portment of  her  sons  shall  be  a  glorious  manifestation  of  ihe  di- 


380  SERMON  XXXI. 

vine  excellency  of  pure  and  imdefiled  religion.  The  Lord  will 
lay  her  stones  with  fair  colours,  and  ivill  lay  her  foundations 
with  sapphires.  He  will  make  her  windows  of  agates,  and  her 
gates  of  carbuncles,  and  all  her  borders  of  pleasant  stones.  Her 
people  also  shall  be  all  righteous,  and  even  her  merchandize  and 
her  hire  shall  be  holiness  to  the  Lord.  With  the  increase  of 
holy  affection,  there  will  be  an  increase  of  unanimity  of  senti- 
ment, and  the  holy  disciphne  and  order  of  the  church  will  be 
promoted.  Jerusalem  shall  be  builded  as  a  city  that  is  compact 
together.  Being  no  more  children,  tossed  to  and  fro  and  carried 
about  with  every  ivind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  man,  and 
cunning  craftiness,  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive ;  but, 
speaking  the  truth  in  love,  the  children  of  Zion  will  grow  up  in- 
to him,  in  all  things,  which  is  the  head,  even  Christ ;  from  ivhom 
the  whole  body  fitly  joined  together,  and  compacted  by  that  which 
every  joint  supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual  working  in  the 
measure  of  every  part,  will  make  increase  of  the  body,  unto  the 
edifying  of  itself  in  love. 

We  have  to  observe  further,  that,  in  building  up  Zion,  the 
Lord  will  not  only  increase  her  numbers,  her  light,  and  her 
graces ;  but  he  will  subdue  her  enemies,  and  multiply  her 
triumphs. 

Numerous,  in  every  age  of  the  world,  have  been  the  ene- 
mies of  Zion.  Satan,  and  all  his  legions  of  darkness,  have  been 
Tier  enemies.  The  wicked  and  ungodly  among  men,  have  been 
her  enemies.  The  remaining  corruptions  in  the  hearts  of  her 
sons  have  been  her  enemies.  But,  in  proportion  as  Zion  has 
been  built  up,  her  enemies  have  been  subdued,  and  her  tri- 
umphs have  been  extended.  This  will  continue  to  be  the  case. 
As  the  building  up  of  Zion  proceeds,  Satan,  with  his  legions  of 
darkness,  will  be  defeated  j  the  wicked  and  ungodly  among 
men  will  be  made  the  footstool  of  the  Redeemer;  and  the  re- 
maining corruptions  in  the  hearts  of  her  children  will  be  subdu- 
ed. When  Noah  and  his  family  were  saved  by  water,  the  world 
of  the  ungodly  were  overwhelmed  in  general  ruin.  When,  with 
a  high  hand  and  a  stretched  out  arm,  the  chosen  tribes  were 
brought  out  of  Egypt,  from  the  iron  furnace,  Pharaoh  and  his 


SERMON   XXXT.  381 

hardened  hosts  were  overthrown  in  the  Red  sea.  When  the 
church  was  buih  up,  in  the  days  of  Constantine  the  great,  her 
enemies  sustained  a  great  and  irreparable  loss.  Until  that  peri- 
od, paganism  had  been  the  established  religion  of  the  Roman 
empire.  But,  when  Constantine  was  raised  to  the  imperial 
throne,  and  declared  himself  in  favour  of  Christ  and  his  church, 
the  pagan  deities,  throughout  the  empire,  were  cast  down  and 
destroyed,  the  rites  of  their  religion  were  abolished,  their  oracles 
ceased,  and  their  temples  were  converted  into  houses  for  the 
worship  oi' the  living  God,  ivho  made  heaven  and  earth.  When 
the  Lord  built  up  Zion,  in  the  days  of  Luther  and  Calvin,  she 
was  made  to  triumph  gloriously.  The  man  of  sin  received  a 
blow,  from  which  he  has  never  recovered ;  his  kingdom  was 
filled  with  darkness ;  and  the  enemies  of  God  and  his  church 
were  discomfited,  and  gnawed  their  tongues  for  pain.  When 
the  Lord  shall  build  up  Zion,  agreeably  to  the  numerous  and 
precious  promises  of  his  word,  and  introduce  tlie  state  of  her 
millenial  glory,  Satan  will  be  bound  in  his  prison,  and  all  the 
enemies  of  the  church  will  sustain  a  most  signal  defeat.  I 
am  now, 

IL  To  show  that,  in  building  up  Zion,  the  Lord  will  appear 
in  his  glory. 

The  essential  glory  of  God  consists  in  his  adorable  perfec- 
tions ;  in  other  words,  in  his  sufficiency  to  do  great  and  excel- 
lent things.  His  declarative  glory  consists  in  a  display  of  his 
perfections,  or  in  a  manifestation  of  his  sufficiency  to  do  great  and 
excellent  things.  But  in  what  do  we  see  a  more  glorious  display 
of  the  divine  perfecfions,  or  a  more  glorious  manifestation  of  the 
infinite  sufficiency  of  God  to  do  great  and  excellent  things,  tlian 
in  the  building  up  of  Zion  .''  Is  there  not,  in  this  great  work,  the 
brightest  illustration  of  every  attribute  of  the  divine  nature  ? 

It  is  especially  by  the  church,  it  is  especially  in  the  building 
up  of  Zion,  that  the  Lord  makes  known  to  the  jyrincipalities  and 
powers  in  heavenly  places,  and  to  all  created  intelligences,  his 
manifold  wisdom.  In  this  same  great  work,  he  also  makes 
known  his  almighty  power.  None  but  the  omnipotent  God,  it 
is  evident,  could  subdue  the  hearts  of  rebellious  men  into  quiet 


J62  SERMON   XXXI. 

and  happy  subjection  to  himself,  control  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness, support  such  an  interest  as  that  of  Zion,  in  this  hostile 
world,  from  age  to  age  ;  and  build  up  and  extend  this  kingdom, 
in  spite  of  all  the  opposition  to  it  from  earth  and  hell.  Nor  less 
illustriously  displayed  than  his  infinite  wisdom  and  power,  is  the 
infinite  goodness  of  God,  in  building  up  Zion.  Under  the  gener- 
al term  goodness  are  comprised  God's  infinite  holiness  and  jus- 
tice, mercy  and  grace,  faithfulness  and  truth,  patience,  tender- 
ness, and  forbearance.  All  these  amiable  and  adorable  attri- 
butes of  the  divine  nature  are,  in  the  building  up  of  Zion,  dis- 
played in  the  most  glorious  light,  to  the  view  of  all  beholding 
worlds.  When  the  Lord  makes  accessions  to  Zion  of  such  as 
shall  be  saved  ;  when  he  causes  her  to  arise  and  shine  with  his 
glory  upon  her  ;  when  he  increases  her  light,  strengthens  her 
graces,  and  clothes  her  with  the  garments  of  salvation  ;  when  in 
his  majesty,  with  his  sword  girt  upon  his  thigh,  he  rides  jpros- 
perously,  because  of  truths  and  meekness,  and  righteousness,  and 
his  right  hand  shows  terrible  things,  and  his  arrows  are  sharp  in 
the  heart  of  his  enemies  ;  in  a  word,  when  he  subdues  the  ene- 
mies and  multiplies  the  triumphs  of  Zion,  he  must  certainly  ap- 
pear, in  the  view  of  the  universe,  in  all  the  excellency  and  glory 
of  his  whole  divine  character.  Thus  it  has  been,  and  thus  it 
will  ever  be,  in  the  building  up  of  Zion.  The  Lord  hath  ap- 
peared, and  he  will  appear  in  his  glory.  Thus,  especially,  shall 
it  be,  when  the  long  predicted  era  of  Zion's  millenial  glory  shall 
arrive  ;  when   she   shall   lift  up  her  eyes  round  about,  and  see  ; 

2chcn  she  shall  see  and  flow  together,  and  her  heart  shall 

fear  and  be  enlarged ;  because  the  abundance  of  the  sea  shall  be 
converted  unto  her  ;  and  the  forces  of  the  Gentiles  shall  come  un- 
to her  ;  the  multitude  of  camels  shall  cover  her,  the  dromedaries 
of  Midian  and  Ephah ;  all  they  from  Sheba  shall  come;  they 
shall  bri^ig  gold  and  incense ;  and  they  shall  show  forth  the 

praises  of  the  Lord The  sons  also  of  them  that  afflicted 

her  shall  come  bending  unto  her  ;  and  all  they  that  despised  her 
shall  bow  themselves  down  at  the  soles  of  her  feet ;  and  they  shall 
call  her,  The  city  of  the  Lord,  The  Zion,  the  monument  raised 
up,  of  the  holy  one  of  Israel. 


SERMON  XXXr.  383 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  In  the  light  of  this  subject  it  may  be  seen,  that  the  glory 
of  God,  and  the  highest  happiness  of  the  created  universe,  are 
inseparably  connected. 

The  declarative  glory  of  God  consists  in  the  display,  or 
manifestation,  of  his  infinite  perfections.  It  is,  also,  by  the  dis- 
pl'v,  or  manifestation,  of  God's  infinite  perfections,  that  the  hap- 
piness of  the  universe  is  promoted.  It  is  upon  the  display  of 
the  divine  perfections,  that  the  happiness  of  heaven,  and  of  aH 
holy  beings  throughout  the  universe,  depends.  Conceal  the 
character  of  God,  conceal  the  perfections  of  the  divine  nature 
from  tl  .;  view  of  created  intelligences,  and  the  happiness  of 
heaven  would  cease,  and  the  whole  universe  would  be  filled 
wiih  darkness,  consternation,  and  despair.  Or,  to  contemplate 
the  subject  in  a  different  light ;  the  perfections  of  the  divine  na- 
ture are  summarily  comprised  in  infinite  power,  wisdom,  and 
goodness.  But,  what  must  be  the  proper  efl'ect  of  a  display 
of  infinite  power,  under  the  direction  of  infinite  wisdom  and 
goodness .''  Must  it  not  be  happiness  ?  And  in  proportion 
as  infinite  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness,  are  more  and  more 
clearly  displayed,  must  not  the  general  happiness  of  the  uni- 
verse be  promoted  ?  The  certainty  of  this  is  evident.  The 
glory  of  God,  then,  and  the  general  happiness  of  the  universe, 
or  of  his  holy  kingdom,  are  inseparably  connected.  How  pleas- 
ing, how  consoling,  how  animafing  is  the  thought !  God  seeks 
his  glory  in  all  that  he  does  ;  and,  therefore,  in  all  that  he  does, 
he  seeks  the  highest  good  of  the  universe.  He  will  glorify  him- 
self by  all  the  works  of  his  hands  ;  and,  therefore,  by  all  the 
works  of  his  hands,  he  will  promote  the  highest  good  of  the 
universe.  When  he  byilds  up  Zion,  he  will  appear  in  his  glo- 
ry ;  and,  therefore,  when  he  builds  up  Zion,  he  will  promote 
the  highest  good  of  the  universe.  All  things  will  ultimately 
conspire  to  illustrate  the  divine  perfections  ;  and,  therefore,  all 
tilings  will  ukimately  conspire  to  promote  the  highest  happpiness 
of  all  the  friends  of  God. 

2.  We  may  see  how  it  is  that  we  are  to  seek  the   glory  of 
God. 


384  SERMON   XXXI. 

We  are  required  to  glorify  God  in  our  bodies,  and  in  our 
spirits,  which  are  God^s  ;  and  it  is  enjoined  upon  us  that,  whether 
we  eat,  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  we  do,  we  should  do  all  to  the 
glory  of  God.  But  good  people  are  sometimes  at  a  loss  how 
they  are  to  comply  with  this  requirement.  They  are  at  a  loss 
how  they  can  do  any  thing  to  promote  the  divine  glory.  But, 
let  them  duly  consider,  that  the  glory  of  God  and  the  true  hap- 
piness of  the  universe  are  inseparably  connected,  and  the  diffi- 
culty will  be  removed.  For,  this  being  the  case,  to  seek  the 
glory  of  God  is  to  seek  the  good  of  his  kingdom  ;  and,  converse- 
ly, to  seek  the  good  of  the  divine  kingdom  is  to  seek  the  glory 
of  God.  When  the  Lord  builds  up  Zion  he  appears  in  his 
glory  ;  and  when  his  people  do  any  thing  to  promote  the  inter- 
ests of  Zion,  they  do  so  much,  v/hatever  it  be,  to  promote  the 
glory  of  God.  If  God  is  glorified  when  converts  are  added  to 
his  church  ;  then,  whenever  his  people  are  in  any  measure  in- 
strumental to  the  conversion  of  sinners,  they  are  so  far  instru- 
mental to  the  promotion  of  the  divine  glory  ;  and  whenever 
they  seek  the  conversion  of  sinners,  they  seek  the  divine  glory. 
If  God  is  glorified  when  divine  knowledge  is  increased,  and 
when  his  people  are  made  to  advance  in  holiness ;  then,  when- 
ever any  one  is  instrumental  to  the  increase  of  divine  knowledge, 
or  to  the  increase  of  holiness  and  grace,  either  in  himself  or 
others,  he  is  so  far  instrumental  to  the  promotion  of  the  divine  glo- 
ry ;  and  whenever  he  seeks  to  promote  divine  knowledge,  or 
the  growth  either  of  himself  or  others  in  hohness  and  grace,  he 
seeks  to  promote  tlie  divine  glory.  And  so,  in  general,  what- 
ever any  one  does  to  promote  the  interests  of  God's  kingdom, 
so  much  he  does  to  promote  the  glory  of  God  ;  and  in  whatever 
way  any  one  seeks  to  promote  the  interests  of  the  divine  king- 
dom, he  in  that  way  seeks  to  promote  the  divine  glory.  How 
reasonable  then  it  is,  that  we  should  be  required  to  seek  the  di- 
vine glory,  in  all  that  we  do.  How  reasonable  that,  in  all  that 
we  do,  we  should  seek  the  highest  and  best  of  all  interests,  the 
highest  and  best  good  of  ourselves  and  others.  And  how  hap- 
py and  how  honourable  must  it  be,  as  well  as  reasonable,  to 
glorify  God  in  our  bodies^  and  in  our  spirits,  which  are  God^s. 


SERMON  XXXI.  883 

How  happy  and  how  honourable,  to  be  co-workers  with  God, 
in  promoting  the  great  interests  of  his  holy  and  rising  kingdom  ! 

3.  We  may  see  that  the  friends  and  citizens  of  Zioii   ought 
never  to  despond,  or  to  be  discouraged  respecting  her. 

In  times  of  apostacy  and  of  deep  declension,  when  the  gra- 
cious influences  of  the  divine  Spirit  are  withholden,  when  iniquity 
abounds  and  the  love  of  many  waxes  cold,  when  the  enemy  comes 
in  like  a  flood,  and  the  ways  ofZion  mourn,  because  few  come  to 
her  solemn  feasts,  the  friends  and  citizens  of  Zion  have  certainly 
abundant  reason  to  be  deeply  affected,  and  deeply  humbled  be- 
fore God  ;  and  those  who  retain,  in  any  good  degree,  their  re- 
ligious life  and  sensibility,  will  be  affected,  and  will  be  humbled. 
In  all  the  afflictions  of  Zion  they  will  be  afflicted  ;  over  all  her 
desolations  they  will  weep  in  secret  places  ;  and  for  the  revival  of 
her  peace  and  prosperity  they  will  earnestly  long  and  pray. 
But  even  in  the  most  cloudy  and  dark  day ;  in  times  of  the 
deepest  declension,  and  of  the  most  dreadful  irruptions  of  the 
enemy,  they  have  no  reason  for  despondency,  or  discourage- 
ment. For,  when  the  Lord  shall  build  up  Zion,  he  shall  appear 
in  his  glory.  Yes,  the  glory  of  God  and  the  interests  of  Zion 
are  inseparably  connected  ;  and  as  certain  as  it  is  that  God  will 
promote  his  own  glory,  just  so  certain  it  is  that  he  will  build  up 
Zion.  As  certain  as  it  is,  that  he  will  promote  his  own  glory, 
just  so  certain  it  is  that  he  will  increase  the  numbers,  the  light, 
and  the  graces  of  Zion,  subdue  her  enemies,  multiply  her  tri- 
umphs, and  make  her,  at  last,  a  name  and  a  praise  in  all  the 
earth.  He  has  graven  her  upon  the  palms  of  his  hands,  and  her 
walls  are  continually  before  him.  He  has  promised  that  he  will 
never  forsake  her,  but  will  make  her  an  eternal  excellency,  the 
joy  of  many  generations.  He  has  promised,  and  he  will  per- 
form it,  to  give  unto  his  Son  the  heathen  for  his  inheritance,  and 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  possession.  He  shall 
break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  dash  them  in  ^pieces  like  a 
patterns  vessel.  He  shall  judge  the  poor  of  the  people,  he  shall 
save  the  children  of  the  needy,  and  break  in  pieces  the  oppressor. 
He  shcdl  come  down  like  rain  uj)on  the  mown  grass,  as  shoivers 
(fiat  water  the  earth.  In  his  days  shall  the  righteous  flourish-, 
49 


386  SERMON  XXXI. 

and  abundance  of  peace,  so  long  as  the  moon  cndureth.  He 
shall  have  dominion  also  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth.  They  that  dwell  in  the  wilderness  shall 
how  before  him,  and  his  enemies  shall  lick  the  dust.  The  meek 
shall  inherit  the  earth,  and  delight  themselves  in  the  abundance 
of  peace. 

4.  We  may  see  the  propriety  and  importance  of  christians 
praying  for  the  building  up  of  Zion. 

If  the  building  up  of  Zion  were  not  consistent  with  the  di- 
vine glory,  and  the  highest  good  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  there 
would  be  no  propriety  in  praying  for  it ;  there  would  be  no  en- 
couragement to  pray  for  it ;  and  it  would  be  wrong  to  pray  for 
it.  But,  when  the  Lord  shall  build  up  Zion,  he  shall  appear 
in  his  glory.  When  Zion  is  built  up,  all  the  perfections  of  the 
divine  nature  are  eminently  illustrated,  the  glory  of  the  divine 
name  is  promoted,  the  best  interests  of  the  universe  are  advan- 
ced. Hence,  in  praying  for  the  building  up  of  Zion  we  pray 
that  God  would  glorify  himself,  and  carry  into  effect  the  great 
purposes  of  infinite  benevolence  ;  and,  surely,  for  prayer  of  this 
nature  there  is  every  reasonable  motive,  and  every  possible  en- 
couragement. 

It  has  pleased  the  infinitely  gracious  Jehovah  to  suffer  him- 
self to  be  sought  unto,  and  to  be  entreated  by  his  people  ;  and 
to  bestow  his  blessings  upon  the  church,  and  upon  the  \vorld,  in 
answer  to  their  prayers.  Especially  will  he  hear  his  people,  his 
praying  Israel,  call  upon  him  for  the  blessings  of  his  Spirit,  and 
for  the  building  up  of  Zion.  A  leading  and  principal  petition, 
which  the  divine  Redeemer  taught  his  disciples  to  use,  was, 
Thy  kingdom  come.  After  having  made  great  and  precious 
promises,  to  his  ancient  people,  of  the  gracious  influences  of  his 
Spirit,  for  the  building  up  of  his  church,  the  Lord  was  pleased 
to  add,  Yet  for  all  this  ivill  I  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of 
Israel  to  do  it  for  them.  He  has  not  said  unto  the  seed  of  Ja- 
cob, Seek  ye  me,  in  vain.  But  it  is  the  ordinary  and  establish- 
ed manner  of  his  gracious  dispensations,  first  to  stir  up  his  peo- 
ple to  instant  and  fervent  prayer  ;  and  then,  in  condescending 
answer  to  their  prayers,  to  send  down  his   Spirit,  and  revive  his 


SERMON   XXXI.  587 

work.  Accordingly,  it  is  written,  Who  hath  heard  such  a  thing  9 
Who  hath  seen  such  things  ?  Shall  the  earth  be  made  to  bring , 
forth  in  one  day  9  Shall  a  nation  be  born  at  once  ?  For  as 
soon  as  Zion  travailed  she  brought  forth  her  children.  Pray, 
then,  O  pray  for  the  peace  of  Zion,  ye  that  favour  the  dust 
thereof.  Ye  that  make  mention  of  the  Lord  keep  not  silence, 
and  give  him  no  rest,  until  he  establish,  and  until  he  make  Jeru- 
salem a  praise  in  the  earth. 

5.  You  may  see,   my  hearers,  how  important  it  is  that  you 
all  become  the  friends  and  citizens  of  Zion. 

This  is  the  city  of  our  God,  and  this  city  shall  stand,  §hall 
prosper,  shall  increase,  shall  rise  in  beauty  and  in  glory  forever 
and  ever.  God  will  build  up  Zion ;  but  her  enemies  will  he 
utterly  destroy.  Though  these  enemies  be  numerous  and  po- 
tent ;  though  principalities  and  powers,  the  rulers  of  the  dark' 
ness  of  this  world,  and  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places  be 
leagued  against  her,  though  Satan  employs  the  whole  force  of 
his  kingdom,  both  on  earth  and  in  hell,  with  a  view  to  destroy 
her  ;  it  is  all  in  vain.  Zion  is  built  upon  a  rock  ;  and  he  who 
is  stronger  than  the  strong  man  armed  has  declared,  that  the 
gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  her.  God  is  in  the  midst 
of  her,  and  has  chosen  her  for  his  glorious  habitation  forever. 
Impotent  and  vain,  then,  is  all  the  rage  of  men  and  devils.  If 
God  but  speak  the  word,  they  are  crushed  like  the  moth,  or 
consumed  away  hke  smoke.  Signal  examples  of  divine  ven- 
geance are  on  sacred  record,  for  the  admonition  and  warning  of 
all  succeeding  ages.  In  avenging  the  cause  of  Zion,  God  has 
dashed  nation  against  nation,  and  kingdom  against  kingdom,  has 
swept  away  empires  with  the  besom  of  destruction,  and  has 
turned  the  world  upside  doim.  Let  all,  then,  tremble  to  be 
found  in  opposition  to  Zion ;  for  who  hath  hardened  himself 
against  the  Lord,  and  hath  prospered  ?  His  almighty  action 
steadily  moves  forward  the  great  affairs  of  his  kingdom,  like  an 
immense  and  irresistible  tide  ;  and  all  who  stand  opposed  must 
assuredly  ere  long  be  overthrown,  and  borne  down  into  destruc- 
tion together.  Be  warned,  then,  my  hearers,  O  be  warned  in 
reason.     From  the  wreck  of  Satan's  kingdom,  escape  for  your 


388  SERMON  XXXI. 

lives,  while  yet  there  is  time  for  an  escape.  From  the  ruins 
of  a  fallen  world,  sinking  under  the  overwhelming  deluge  of 
divine  wrath,  fly,  O  fly  to  the  ark  of  safety.  From  the  confines 
of  eternal  perdition,  hasten  your  flight,  without  delay,  and  take 
your  stand  in  this  favoured  kingdom  of  God,  which  shall  break 
in  pieces  and  consume  aU  opposing  kingdomsy  and  shall  stand 
forever. 


SERMON    XXXIL 


ABRAHAM    OFFERING    UP    ISAAC. 


Hebrews  xi.  17. 
By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  trier],  offered  up  Isaac- 

Jr  AITH  is  the  grand  characteristick  of  the  people  of  God. 
It  distinguishes  the  saint  from  the  sinner,  the  true  disciple  of 
the  Redeemer  from  every  false  religionist,  the  heir  of  immortal 
glory  from  the  child  of  eternal  wo.  It  is  faith  which  lifts  the 
last  descendant  of  Adam,  from  depravity  and  wretchedness,  to 
indefectible  hohness  and  felicity.  Faith,  then,  is  an  article  of 
inestimable  importance  ;  and  no  knowledge  can  be  more  inter- 
esting to  mankind,  than  a  true  knowledge  of  faith,  in  its  nature 
and  its  operations.  The  nature,  the  excellency,  and  the  power 
of  faith,  are  very  strikingly  illustrated  in  this  eleventh  chapter  of 
the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  ;  and  in  no  part  of  it,  perhaps,  more 
strikingly,  than  in  our  text,  and  its  immediate  connection.  By 
faith  Abraham,  when  he  tvas  tried,  offered  up  Isaac ;  and  he 
that  had  received  the  promises  offered  up  his  only  begotten  son, 
of  whom  it  was  said,  In  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called.  Account- 
ing that  God  was  able  to  raise  him  up,  even  from  the  dead,  from 
whence  also  he  received  him  in  a  figure.  In  attending  to  the 
text,  it  may  be  useful, 

I.  To  contemplate  the  manner  in  which  Abraham  was  tried, 
in  respect  to  offering  up  his  son. 


oW  SERMON  XXXII. 

II.  To  consider  how  faith  was  concerned  in  this  memorable 
transaction. 

By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  tried,  offered  up  Isaac. 
We  know,  indeed,  that  Abraham  did  not  actually  sacrifice  his 
son.  He  did  not  slay  him,  and  consume  him  upon  the  altar. 
From  this  the  angel  of  the  Lord  withheld  him.  But,  as  it  was 
in  his  heart  obediently  to  make  the  offering,  the  Lord,  who 
looketh  on  the  heart,  accepted  the  pious  purpose,  as  if  actually 
accomplished. 

In  the  xxiid  chapter  of  Genesis,  we  have  a  particular  ac- 
count of  the  affecting  scene  now  in  view,  to  which  it  will  be 
suitable  to  give  some  attention.  And  it  came  to  pass,  after 
these  things,  that  God  did  tempt  Abraham,  and  said  unto  him, 
Abraham,  and  he  said,  Behold,  here  I  am.  In  our  language,  at 
present,  the  word  tempt,  which  is  here  used,  and  the  word  tried, 
which  is  used  in  our  text,  ordinarily  convey  very  diiferent  ideas. 
It  is  not  so,  however,  in  the  original  languages  of  the  scriptures ; 
but,  both  in  the  Hebrew  and  in  the  Greek,  to  tempt,  and  to  try, 
or  prove,  are  expressed  in  the  same  manner.  Every  trial,  in- 
deed, is  in  a  sense  a  temptation  ;  and  tends  to  make  manifest 
the  real  state,  or  temper  of  the  heart.  In  reference,  however, 
to  enticements  to  sin,  or  false  and  delusive  representations  to 
the  mind,  let  no  man  say,  when  he  is  tempted,  I  am  tempted  of 
God  ;  for  God  cannot  be  tempted  with  evil,  neither  tempteth  he 
any  man.  He  appoints,  however,  all  our  external  circumstan- 
ces ;  he  gives  us  general  and  particular  commandments  ;  and 
he  assigns  to  us  our  several  conditions  and  duties.  In  all  these 
respects,  he  acts  in  perfect  wisdom  and  holiness.  Yet  bis  ap- 
pointments are  intended  to  prove  us,  and  to  show  what  is  in  our 
hearts ;  and  they  frequently  give  occasion  to  our  evil  propensi- 
ties to  manifest  themselves,  and  to  Satan  and  our  own  lusts,  to 
tempt  us  and  draw  us  into  sin.  The  holy  law  of  God  gives  oc- 
casion to  all  manner  of  concupiscence  ;  and  even  the  blessed 
gospel,  to  still  greater  malignity,  when  sin  prevails  in  the  heart : 
While  the  most  horrid  temptations  only  serve  to  illustrate  the 
power  of  faith  and  love,  in  the  r.oul  which  is  under  the  influence 
of  holy  affections.     These  remarks  may  apply  to  the  case  now 


SERMON  XXXII.  391 

before  us.  The  Lord  saw  good  to  put  Abraham's  faith  and 
obedience  to  a  most  severe  trial.  He  did  not  tempt  him,  as  a 
man  is  tempted  by  his  own  hists,  by  Satan,  and  by  his  fellow 
sinners,  by  suggesting  evil  thoughts  to  his  mind,  or  by  exciting 
sinful  passions  ;  but  he  placed  him  in  circumstances  most  clear- 
ly to  show  the  dispositions  of  his  heart ;  and  the  trial  made  it 
appear  that  those  dispositions  were  most  excellent. 

J^ow  the  Lord  had  said  unto  Mram,  Get  thee  out  of  thy  coun- 
try, and  from  thy  kindred,  and  from  thy  father^  s  house,  unto  a  land 
that  I  will  show  thee.  And  I  vnll  make  of  thee  a  great  nation  ; 
and  I  will  bless  thee,  and  make  thy  name  great ;  and  thou  shalt 

he  a  blessing  ; and  in  thee  shall  all  families  of  the  earth 

be  blessed.     So  Abram  departed,   as  the  Lord  had  spoken  unto 

him  ; and  Abram  was  seventy  and  five  years  old,  when 

he  departed  out  ofHaran.  It  is  particularly  noticeable,  that  the 
promise  which  was  thus  made  to  Abraham,  on  the  ground  of 
which  he  left  his  country,  and  his  kindred,  .and  his  father's 
house,  to  go  into  a  land  which  the  Lord  should  show  him,  had 
particular  respect  to  his  seed.  According  to  the  promise,  he 
was  to  be  made  a  great  nation,  and  it  was  through  his  seed,  es- 
pecially, that  in  him  should  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed. 
But,  though  such  was  the  promise,  when  Abraham  left  Haran, 
to  go  into  the  land  of  Canaan,  though  he  was  then  seventy-five 
years  old,  he  had  no  son, — no  child.  After  the  battle  which 
Abraham  had  with  Chedorlaomer  and  his  confederates,  for  the 
recovery  of  his  kinsman  Lot,  which  was  about  eight  or  ten 
years  after  his  removal  from  Haran,  the  word  of  the  Lord  came 
unto  him  in  a  vision,  saying.  Fear  not,  Abram  ;  I  am  thy  shield, 
and  thy  exceeding  great  reward.  Abraham  was  now  between 
eighty  and  ninety  years  old,  and  was  yet  childless.  Hence,  up- 
on this  occasion,  he  ventured  humbly  to  expostulate  with  God 
on  the  subject.  And  Abram  said.  Lord  God,  tvhat  unit  thou 
give  me,  seeing  I  go  childless,  and  the  steward  of  my  house  is 
this  Eliezer  of  Damascus  9  Behold,  to  me,  thou  hast  given  no 
seed  ;  and,  lo,  one  born  in  mine  house  is  mine  heir.  The  Lord 
heard,  with  complacency,  the  humble  complaint  of  his  afflicted 
servant,  and  renewed  to  him  th.e  promise  of  a  numerous  pos'eri- 


•692  SERMON  XXXE. 

ty.  The  faith  of  the  venerable  patriarch  was  strengthened,  and 
his  hopes  revived.  He  believed  in  the  Lord,  and  he  counted  it 
to  him  for  righteousness.  Still,  however,  his  faith  is  to  have  a 
further  trial,  in  respect  to  the  promise.  Two  or.three  years 
pass  away,  and  Abraham  has  yet  no  child.  At  length,  Ishmael, 
the  son  of  the  bond-woman,  is  born.  Abraham  rejoices  to  re- 
ceive a  son,  although  the  son  of  a  bond-woman,  and  supposes 
that  now  the  promise  of  the  Lord  is  in  a  way  to  be  fultilled. 
But  he  is  mistaken.  Ishmael  is  not  the  son  of  the  promise  ;  he 
is  not  heir  to  the  inheritance  of  the  father  of  the  faithful ;  but  he, 
and  his  mother,  are  to  be  cast  out ;  and  Sarah  herself  is  to  have 
a  son. 

At  last,  when  Abraham  is  an  hundred  years  old,  the  long 
desired,  the  long  expected  gift  is  vouchsafed.  Isaac,  the  child 
of  the  promise ;  Isaac,  the  son  of  many  prayers,  and  the  object  of 
the  highest  and  fondest  hopes ;  Isaac,  who  is  to  be  the  consola- 
tion and  the  dehght  of  his  parents,  who  is  to  fill  their  mouth 
with  laughter,  and  their  tongue  with  joy  and  praise ;  Isaac,  in 
whom,  and  in  whose  seed,  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  are  to  be 
blessed, — is  born.  With  tenderest  care  this  pleasant  plant  is 
reared.  Many  and  fervent  are  the  prayers  which  are  offered 
for  his  long  life,  and  for  his  great  happiness.  The  hfe  of  the 
parents  is  bound  up  in  the  life  and  welfare  of  the  lad,  who,  as 
he  grows  in  stature,  grows  in  grace,  and  in  favour  with  God  and 
man.  Happy  parents  !  now  your  hopes  are  realized,  and  your 
trials  are  at  end  ! — Alas  !  no.  Your  warfare  is  not  yet  ended. 
The  sharpest,  the  severest  trial  is  still  behind. 

"  Abraham,  says  God.  Abraham  knows  the  voice.  It  is 
the  voice  of  condescending  goodness ;  it  is  the  voice  of  his 
shield,  and  his  exceeding  great  reward.  He  had  often  heard  it, 
with  a  rapture  of  delight.  Instantly  he  repHes,  Here  I  am  ; — 
speak.  Lord ;  for  thy  servant  is  all  attention.  Hoping,  no 
doubt,  to  receive  some  fresh  manifestation  of  the  divine  good 
will  to  himself  and  his  family,  or  some  new  discovery  of  the 
method  in  which  the  divine  wisdom  would  perform  the  precious 
promises  to  \\\m  and  his  seed." 


SERMON  XXXII.  39S 

And  he  said,   Take  now  thy  son. — And  might  not  Abraham 
reasonably  expect,  that,  since  his  son  was  now  arrived  to  years 
of  maturity,  some  direction  was  about  to  be  given  respecting  his 
settlement  in  the  world.      Take  now  thy  son,  thine  only  son, 
Isaac,  whom  thou  lovest. — How   particular  and   endearing  are 
these  terms.     Surely  such  an  introduction  cannot  fail  to  heighten 
the  expectation  of  the  venerable  patriarch,  of  some  signal  favour 
to  be  conferred  on  the  beloved  youth.     How  startled,  then,  how 
amazed  must  he  be,  when,  instead  of  some  renewed  expression 
of  the  divine  favour,   he   receives  the  following  orders.      Take 
now  thy  son,   thine  only  son,  Isaac,  whom  thou  lovest,  and  get 
thee  into  the  land  of  Moriah,  and  offer  him  therefor  a  burlH  of- 
fering, upon  one  of  the  mountains  ivhich  I  will  tell  thee  of     Were 
ever  words  so  affecting  ^  Was  ever  message  so  distressing  ?  Ev- 
ery word  in  the  injunction  is  calculated  to  soften   and  melt  the 
parental  heart,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  sharpen  the  arrow  which 
must  pierce  it  through  and  through.      Take  thy  son,  thine  only 
son  by  Sarah  thy  wife,  Isaac,  whom  thou  lovest.     Go  into  the 
land  of  Moriah  ; — then,  after  that  long  and  tedious  journey,  offer 
him  there  for  a  burnt  offering — shed  his  blood  with   thine  own 
hand,  and  burn  him  to  ashes  !  Ye,  who  know  the  affections  and 
the  yearnings  of  the  parental  heart,   say,  was  ever  trial  like  this 
trial,  to  which  the   father   of  the  faithful  is  here  called  !    How 
many,  how  urgent,  and  how  plausible  might  we  suppose,  would 
be  the  remonstrances,   and  pleas  of  Abraham,  on  this  affecting 
occasion.     Might  he  not  urge  the  divine  prohibition  of  murder, 
and  say,  Lord,  hast  thou  not  said,   Whoso  sheddeth  man's  blood, 
by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed  ?     How,  then,  can  I  do  this  great 
thing  .''     How  can  I  shed  the  blood  of  man — the  blood,   not  of 
an  enemy,  not  of  a  stranger,  not  of  a  neighbour,  not  of  a  domes- 
tick,  but  of  my  son,  my  only  son,  Isaac,  whom  I  love  ? — Might 
he  not  urge  his  situation,  in  the  land  of  his  pilgrimage,  and  say, 
Lord,  at  thy  command,  I  left  my  native  country,  my  kindred, 
and  my  father's  house,  and  came  to  sojourn   here,  as  a  stranger 
in  a  strange  land  ;  and  shall  I  expose   myself  to  the  hatred,  to 
the  abhorrence,  and  to  the  vengeance,  of  my  idolatrous  neigh- 
bours, by  committing  an  act.  at  which  tltp  hearts  of  all  who  hear 
50 


3J4  SERMON   XXXll. 

of  it  must  rerolt,  and  for  which  the  hand  of  eveiy  man  will  be 
turned  against  me  ? — Might  he  not  urge  the  dishonour  which 
must  be  done  to  the  divine  name,  and  say,  Lord,  am  I  not 
known  as  professedly  thy  servant,  a  worshipper  of  the  God  who 
made  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  in  the  midst  of  these  idolatrous 
nations,  who  pay  their  homage  to  those  which  are  no  gods  ? 
Shall  I,  then,  bring  a  reproach  upon  thy  worship,  and  cause 
thy  great  and  holy  name  to  be  abhorred,  by  offering  to  thee,  and  ' 
at  thy  command,  the  son  of  my  prayers,  of  my  vows,  and  of  all 
my  fondest  hopes  ?— Might  he  not  urge  the  promise,  the  special 
and  repeated  divine  promise,  respecting  his  son,  and  say,  Lord, 
hast  thou  not  given  me  thy  word  of  promise,  in  which  thou  hast 
caused  me  to  hope,  and  to  confide,  that  in  this  my  son,  in  Isaac, 
shall  my  seed  be  called  ?  Can  I,  then,  slay  with  mine  own 
hand,  this  child  of  thy  promise,  this  precious  seed,  from  whom 
the  Messiah  is  to  spring,  and  in  whom  all  the  families  of  the 
earth  are  to  be  blessed  ?  What,  then,  will  become  of  thy  truth, 
of  my  confidence  in  thee,  and  of  all  my  hopes  ? — Might  he  not 
plead  his  affection,  and  the  affection  of  Sarah  his  wife,  and  say. 
Lord,  didst  thou  not  give  us  this  son,  to  be  the  joy  of  our  hearts, 
the  consolation  and  support  of  our  declining  years  ?  And  wilt 
thou  so  soon  take  him  away  from  us  ?  If  sin  lies  at  the  door, 
let  me,  I  beseech  thee,  expiate  the  guilt.  Let  thousands  of 
rams,  let  every  bullock  in  my  stalls  bleed  at  thine  altar.  Let 
me  be  stripped  of  all  my  possessions,  and  command  me  to  roam 
as  a  fugitive  and  a  vagabond  in  the  earth,  and  I  will  bless  thine 
holy  name.  Only  let  my  child,  the  son  of  my  love,  be  spared  ! 
Or,  if  he  must  die,  if  he  cannot  be  spared  ;  yet  may  he  not,  at 
least,  expire  by  a  natural  dissolution  ?  May  not  some  common 
disease  unloose  the  cords  of  life,  and  lay  him  down  gently  in  the 
tomb  ? — But,  if  it  must  be  so,  that  my  beloved  son  must  be 
sacrificed,  if  his  blood  must  be  shed,  and  his  body  consumed  to 
ashes  upon  the  altar,  O  let  it  not  be  by  these  hands  ;  but  let 
some  stranger  perform  the  dreadful  service  !  Let  me  not  sec 
the  awful  tragedy  !  But,  O  let  it  be  far  from  the  sight  of  these 
eyes  ! — These,  and  a  thousand  otlier  pleas  and  remonstrances 
might  be  urged  by  the  patriarch,  on  this  most  awful  and  affect- 


SERMON  XXXII.  395 

ing  occasion.  But,  does  tlie  patriarch  urge  them  ?  No  ;  not  a 
single  remonstrance,  not  a  single  plea,  not  a  single  question  es- 
capes from  his  lips.  No  ;  he  has  received  his  orders  from  the 
Lord  his  God,  and  he  thinks  of  nothing  but  to  make  haste  and 
fulfil  them. 

He  rises  early  in  the  morning,  and  immediately  prepares  for 
his  journey.  He  saddles  his  beast,  cleaves  the  wood  for  the 
burnt  offering,  takes  two  of  his  young  men,  and  Isaac  his  son, 
and  sets  out  for  the  land  of  Moriah.  All  this  is  done  with  sb 
much  regularity,  composure,  and  serenity,  that  no  alarm  is  giv- 
en to  Sarah,  no  solicitude  is  excited  in  Isaac,  no  suspicion  is 
awakened  in  the  servants.  Two  days  he  travels  with  his  son 
towards  the  place  for  the  sacrifice.  Two  nights  he  spends, 
saving  the  time  necessary  for  the  repose  of  his  wearied  nature, 
in  prayer,  and  meditation  on  the  solemn  and  affecting  subject. 
Yet  his  resolution  is  not  shaken ;  the  composure  of  his  mind 
does  not  forsake  him. 

On  the  third  day,  Abraham  lifts  up  his  eyes  and  sees  the 
place  afar  off.  Memorable  place.  It  is  one  of  the  mountains 
of  Moriah, — in  all  probability,  mount  Calvary,  the  scene  of  the 
tragical  sufferings  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  the  great 
antitype  of  Abraham's  beloved  son.  Yes,  Isaac  is  to  be  offered 
on,  or  near,  the  very  spot  where  the  promised  Messiah,  who  is 
to  spring  from  his  loins,  is  to  be  offered  up  for  the  sins  of  the 
xuorld  !  On  beholding  the  place,  probably  designated  by  some 
such  appearance  of  glory  as  he  had  been  accustomed  to  see,  in- 
stead of  being  moved,  and  thrown  into  a  state  of  perturbation, 
he  appears  all  calmness  and  deliberate  circumspection.  Lest 
the  two  sei-vants  should  interrupt  the  solemn  service,  by  an  ill- 
judged,  though  affectionate  interference,  they  are  commanded 
to  proceed  no  further.  Abide  ye  here,  says  Abraham,  and  I 
and  the  lad  will  go  yonder  and  worship,  and  come  again  to  you. 

And  Abraham  took  the  wood  of  the  burnt  offering  and  laid 
it  upon  Isaac  his  son. — Look  hete,  my  brethren, 'and  behold  a 
signal  type  of  your  suffering  Redeemer.  Isaac  carries  the 
wood,  on  which  he  is  to  be  sacrificed,  to  the  ai)pointed  spot. 
Jesus,  almost  two  thousand  years  afterwards,   carries  the  cross. 


396  SERMON   XXXIL 

on  which  he  is  to  be  crucified,  to  the  same  place  of  execution  ! — 
Then  Abraham  took  the  fire  in  his  hand,  and  a  knife  )  and  they 
two  ivent  on  together.  Moving  sight !  Were  ever  father  and 
son  brought  into  a  situation  so  solemn,  and  so  aftecting  ?  The 
father,  with  the  knife  which  is  to  shed  the  blood,  and  the  fire 
which  is  to  consume  the  body  of  his  son  ;  and  the  son,  with  the 
wood,  on  which  he  is  himself  to  be  immolated,  pass  on  together 
in  solemn  silence  !  But  at  length  the  silence  is  broken  by  a 
very  natural  and  pertinent  question  of  the  son.  Isaac  spake 
unto  his  father,  and  said,  Mj  father.  And  he  said,  Here  am  I, 
my  son.  And  he  said,  Behold  the  fire,  and  the  avood  ;  but 
where  is  the  lamb  for  a  burnt  offering  ?  Most  affecting  ques- 
tion !  And  what  shall  the  father  answer  ?  Is  not  his  heart  too 
full  for  utterance  ?  Does  not  his  purpose  falter  ?  And,  letting 
drop  the  knife  and  the  fire,  does  he  not  fall  upon  the  neck  of  his 
son,  and  give  vent  to  his  inward  anguish,  and  his  afl^ectionate 
tenderness,  in  a  flood  of  tears  ?  No  ;  the  father  of  the  faithful 
is  not  shaken  in  his  purpose,  nor  is  he  visibly  moved.  But, 
calm  and  collected,  he  replies  to  the  moving  question,  with  the 
utmost  benignity  and  complacence.  My  son,  God  will  provide 
himself  a  lamb  for  a  burnt  offering.  Prophetick  words,  and 
fully  verified ;  though,  perhaps,  Ihtle  understood  when  they 
were  uttered. 

And  they  came  to  the  place  which  God  had  told  him  of.  It 
is  a  mountain,  at  the  time  of  this  transaction,  far  from  the  resort 
of  men.  It  is  an  awful  solitude,  and  solemn  is  the  silence  which 
prevails !  There  Abraham  builds  an  altar,  and,  proceeding  with 
the  utmost  dehberation  and  regularity,  lays  the  wood  in  order. 
Now,  eveiy  thing  is  ready  for  the  solemn  service.  But,  how 
shall  it  be  performed  ?  Isaac  can  no  longer  be  kept  in  igno- 
rance.— But,  ah  !  who  shall  disclose  to  him,  what  God  has  com- 
manded ^  Can  Abraham  ?  Yes,  Abraham's  mind  remains 
firm,  and,  no  doubt,  with  equal  fortitude  and  tenderness,  he  now 
addresses  his  son  on  the  affecting  subject.  Do  we  not  hear  him 
say,  '  Didst  thou  inquire  concerning  the  lamb  ?  Ah,  my  dear 
son,  thou  thyself  art  the  lamb  provided  for  a  burnt  offering. 
Be  not  amazed.     Let  not  thy  heart  fail  thee.     The  God  who 


SERMON   XXXII.  397 

bestowed  thee,  ift  answer  to  my  ardent  prayer,  is  pleased  to  re- 
quire tliee  at  my  hand.     Let  us  bow  to  his  sovereign,  though 
mysterious  mandate,  and  adore  his  holy  name.     Let  us  confide 
in  his  promise  still,   and  though  he  slay  us,  let  us  trust  in  him.' 
Isaac,  now,  it  is  supposed,  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  of  age,  in- 
stead of  making  that  resistance  which,  if  disposed,  he  might  make, 
unresistingly  yields  to  the  will  of  God,  and  to  the  requirement 
of  his  venerable  father.     Abraham  binds  his  son — binds  him  for 
the  sacrifice — and   lays  him   upon  the  altar  on  the  wood. — Be- 
hold the  victim  !    Behold  the  dutiful  Isaac,  the  joy  of  Abraham, 
the  delight  of  Sarah,  the  son  of  united  prayers  and  vows,  the 
favoured  heir  of  the  promise.     There  he  lies,  bound  and  placed 
Oil  the  wood,  all  meek  and  resigned,  expecting  the  fatal  stroke. 
The    moment    is    come.      Abraham,    all    collected    and   calm, 
stretches  forth  his  hand,  lifts  the  sharpened  sterl,  and  is  even 
now  aiming  the  deadly  blow  !  But  see,   his  hand  is  stayed  ;  be 
withholds  the  stroke  !  What,  then,   does  his  resolution  fail  him 
at  the  last  ?  No,  no  ;  but  the  voice  of  an  angel,  the  angel  of  the 
covenant,  arrests  his  hand,  in  the  very  act  to  strike.     Jlbraham 
Mraham,  says  the  angel.     And  he  answers,  Here  am  I.     And 
he  says,  Lay  not  thine  hand  upon  the  lad,  neither  do  thou  any 
thing  unto  him  ;  for  now  I  kncno  that  thou  fearest    God,   since 
thou  hast  not  withheld  thy  son.,  thine  only  son,  from  me.     Turn- 
ing himself  about,   Abraham  beholds  a  ram,   caught  in  a  thicket 
hy  his  horns  ;  and  this  ram  he  offers  for  a  burnt  offering,  instead 
of  his  son.     And  Abraham  called  the  name  of  that  place  Jehovah 
jireh — the  Lord  will  see,  or  provide.     As  it  is  said  to  this  day, 
In  the  mount  the  Lord  will  appear.     Thus  Abraham,   when  he 
was  tried,  offered  up  Isaac  ;  and  he  that  had  received  the  prom- 
ises offered  up  his  only  begotten  ;  ofivhom  it  was  said,  Li  Laac 
shall  thy  seed  be  called.     We  are  now, 

II.  To  consider  how  faith  was  concerned  in  this  remarkable 
transaction. 

The  apostle  assures  us  that  it  was  by  faith  \hai  Abraham  thus 
offered  up  his  son.  He  that  cometh  unto  God  must  believe  that 
he  is.  Abraham  must  have  had  a  firm  belief  in  the  divine  ex- 
istence.    For,  had  he  disbelieved  this,  or  had  he  even  doubted 


398  SERMON  XXXII. 

respecting  it,  he  would  never  have  offered  up  his  son.  Surely, 
he  would  never  have  offered  up  his  son  to  God,  had  he  not  firm- 
ly believed  there  was  a  God. — Abraham  believed,  also,  in  di- 
vine revelation.  In  the  days  of  Abraham,  indeed,  divine  reve- 
lation was  very  limited  and  obscure.  No  part  of  the  sacred  or- 
acles, now  contained  in  the  books  of  the  old  and  new  Testa- 
ments, had  then  been  committed  to  writing.  Some  things,  how- 
ever, of  the  highest  importance  to  mankind,  had  been  revealed. 
God  had  given  a  summary  revelation  of  his  will  to  Adam  ;  and, 
after  his  fall,  had  vouchsafed  him  intimations  of  his  mercy, 
through  the  Saviour,  in  the  gracious  assurance,  that  tl>e  seed 
of  the  woman  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head.  He  had  re- 
vealed himself  to  Enoch,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  to  whom  he 
gave  a  prophetick  view  of  great  and  important  events  to  take 
place  in  the  end  of  the  world.  He  had,  also,  revealed  himself 
to  Noah,  both  before  and  after  the  flood,  and  given  to  him  such 
further  communications  of  his  will,  as  the  state  of  the  world,  in 
those  periods,  required.  The  several  revelations,  which,  from 
time  to  time,  God  had  been  pleased  to  make,  were  easily  hand- 
ed down,  in  those  ages  of  great  longevity,  by  Adam  to  Methu- 
selah, by  Methuselah  to  Noah,  and  by  Noah,  or  at  least  by  Shem 
his  son,  to  Abraham.  To  Abraham,  moreover,  before  the  event 
of  his  offering  up  Isaac,  further  revelations  had  been  made,  more 
particular  and  clear  than  any  which  had  gone  before  them.  All 
these  revelations,  whether  made  to  Adam,  to  Enoch,  to  Noah, 
or  directly  to  himself,  Abraham  undoubtedly  received  as  divine. 
For,  had  he  not  had  full  confidence  in  divine  revelation  ;  had 
he  not  firmly  believed  that  God  had,  at  sundry  times,  and  in  di- 
vers manners,  made  known  his  will  to  men,  and  particularly  to 
him,  on  what  ground  could  he  have  proceeded  in  the  solemn 
transaction  of  offering  up  his  son  ? — Abraham  believed,  moreo- 
ver, in  the  divine  perfections.  He  believed  that  God  was  a 
Being  of  infinite  power,  wisdom,  hohness,  justice,  goodness,  and 
truth.  Had  he  not  believed  this,  he  coul-d  not  have  so  readily 
acquiesced  in  the  divine  requirement,  nor  so  cheerfully  have 
offered  up  his  own  son,  whom  he  loved. — Abraham  believed  in 
the  Messiah,  who  was  to  appear  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice 


SERMON  XXXII.  399 

•f  hmself,  and  to  bring  in  an  everlasting  righteousness  for  llie 
justification  of  his  redeemed  people.  He  had  received  thi; 
promises  of  God.  He  had  received  assurances  that  the  promis- 
ed Messiah,  in  whom  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should  be 
blessed,  should  descend  from  him,  and  that,  too,  in  the  line  of 
his  son  Isaac,  in  whom  his  seed  was  to  be  called.  And  on  these 
promises,  on  these  assurances,  he  firmly  relied.  It  was,  indeed, 
only  by  faith  in  the  promised  Messiah,  that  he  could  offer  unto 
God  any  acceptable  sacrifice.  And  when  he  conducted  his 
own  son  toihe  mountain  of  Moriah,  to  offer  him  up  there — when 
he  prepared  the  altar,  and  laid  the  wood  in  order  upon  it — 
when  he  bound  his  son,  and  laid  him  upon  the  wood — when  he 
stretched  forth  his  hand  and  took  the  knife,  to  slay  his  son — 
during  the  whole  solemn  and  affecting  transaction,  feeHng  that 
his  own  life,  and  the  life  of  his  son,  and  all  which  he  had,  wa? 
forfeited  by  sin,  into  the  hands  of  God,  he  looked  forward,  by  a 
steady  and  overcoming  faith,  to  the  great  atonement  for  sin, 
which  the  Messiah  was  to  make,  and  of  which  the  sacrifice  of 
Isaac  was  so  illustrious  a  type.  Accounting  that  God  ivas  able 
to  raise  him  up  even  from  the  dead,  he  staggered  not  at  the 
promise,  but  still  beUeved  that  in  Isaac  his  seed  should  be  called, 
and  that  from  Isaac  the  Messiah  should  spring.  This  faith  of 
Abraham  was  a  faith  which  wrought  by  love.  It  was  a  faith, 
in  the  exercise  of  which  he  cheerfully  endured  the  severest  tri- 
als, and  cheerfully  performed  the  most  arduous  services,  in  sub- 
mission and  obedience  to  the  divine  will. 

My  brethren,  is  not  all  this  plain  ?  Is  it  not  evident  that  it 
was  by  faith,  a  faith  which  wrought  by  love,  ih^i  Abraham,  when 
he  was  tried,  offered  up  his  son  ?  If  he  had  not  had  a  firm  be- 
lief in  the  divine  existence, — if  he  had  not  had  a  firm  belief  in 
the  divine  revelation, — if  he  had  not  had  a  firm  belief  in  the  di- 
vine perfections, — if  he  had  not  had  a  firm  belief  in  the  promis- 
ed Messiah, — if  he  had  not  seen  his  day  and  been  glad, — in  a 
word,  if  he  had  not  had  that  faith  which  is  the  hibstance  of 
things  hoped  for,  and  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen,  and  which 
raises  the  soul  to  rest  in  God  as  the  supreme  good,  is  it  con- 
ceivable that,   with  suc'i  steadiness  of  purpose,  and  such  com- 


400  SERMON   XXXII. 

posure  and  alacrity  of  mind,  he  could  have  gone  through  the 
trying  transaction,  which  we  have  been  now  contemplating  ? 
Review  the  affecting  scene  ;  follow  the  venerable  patriarch 
through  every  step,  and  through  every  act,  from  the  time  he 
rose  early  in  the  morning,  until  the  tirue  he  stretched  forth  his 
hand  to  take  the  knife,  and  say  what  but  faith,  a  lively,  an  af- 
fectionate, an  overcoming  faith,  could  have  supported  and  car- 
ried him  through  a  scene  so  trying  ? 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  By  our  subject,  we  are  led  to  reflect  on  the  reasonable- 
ness and  importance  of  giving  up  ourselves,  our  children,  our 
connections,  and  all  that  we  have,  into  the  hands,  and  to  the 
sovereign  disposal,  of  God. 

Abraham  did  thus.  He  gave  up  himself,  and  all  that  he 
had,  to  the  divine  disposal.  Hence  it  was,  that  he  so  readily 
and  so  cheerfully  submitted  to  every  expression  of  the  divine 
will.  Hence  it  was  that,  at  the  command  of  God,  he  left  his 
country,  and  his  kindred,  and  his  father's  house,  and  ivent  forth 
not  knowing  whither  he  went.  Hence  it  was  that  he  sojourned 
in  the  land  of  promise  as  in  a  strange  country,  dwelling  in  tab- 
ernacles, with  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  heirs  with  him  of  the  same 
promise.  Hence  it  was  that  he  so  readily  and  so  cheertully  sent 
away  Hagar  and  Ishmael  from  his  family,  and  left  them  entirely 
to  the  guidance  and  protection  of  Providence.  And  hence  it 
was  that,  when  divinely  required,  he  so  readily  and  so  cheerfully 
offered  up  hi§  beloved  Isaac.  As  he  had  given  up  all  to  God, 
he  had  only  to  follow  the  intimations  of  the  divine  will,  respect- 
ing himself,  and  all  that  he  had.  And  was  it  not  right,  my 
brethren,  for  Abraham  thus  to  do  ?  You  will  answer.  Yes  ;  it  was 
reasonable  ;  it  was  important.  It  was  the  way  of  duty  ;  it  was 
the  way  of  happiness.  Let  us  all,  then,  my  brethren,  go  and  do 
likewise.  We,  as  well  as  Abraham,  are  the  creatures  of  God  ; 
brought  into  being  by  his  power — supported  entirely  by  his 
bounty — dependent,  as  sinners,  on  his  sovereign  grace  in  the 
Messiah,  for  pardon  and  eternal  salvation — and  possessed  of 
nothing  v/hich  does  not  belong  to  him,  as  the  rightful  Proprietor 


SERMON  XXXn.  401 

and  Lord.  Like  Abraham,  then,  it  becomes  us  to  acknowledge 
God  in  all  his  perfections  and  rights,  and  unreservedly  to  give 
up  ourselves,  and  all  that  we  have,  to  his  wise,  and  righteous, 
and  sovereign  disposal.  Like  Abraham,  it  becomes  us  to  for- 
sake all  that  God  requires  us  to  forsake,  to  go  forth,  where  God 
directs  us  to  go,  to  sojourn,  where  God  would  have  us  sojourn. 
And,  like  Abraham,  it  becomes  us  cheerfully,  to  give  up  the  ob- 
jects of  our  tenderest  affection,  our  connections,  our  children, 
our  Isaacs,  whenever  God  calls  us  to  give  them  up.  This  is  all 
reasonable,  all  important.  It  is  the  way  of  duty  ;  it  is  the  way, 
and  the  only  way  of  happiness. 

2.  We  are  led  to  reflect  on  the  nature  and  spirit  of  true  obe- 
dience to  the  divine  requirements. 

Abraham  obeyed  God.     It  was  in  obedience  to  the  require- 
ment of  God,  that  he  offered  up  his  son.     On  receiving  the  di- 
vine command  for   this  purpose,  immediately  he  conferred  not 
with  flesh  and  blood.     He  conferred   not  with  Sarah  his  wife  ; 
he  conferred  not  with  Isaac  his  son  ;  he  conferred  not  with  any 
of  his  family  or  friends.     He  did  not  hesitate,  on  account  of  the 
difficulty  of  the  service  required.     He  did   not  hesitate,  on  ac- 
count of  the  apparent  inconsistency  of  the  requirement  with  the 
promises  he  had  received,  or  with  other  divine  commands.     He 
did  not  hesitate,  on  account  of  any  consequences,  which  seemed 
likely  to  follow.     But,  receiving  it  as  tlie  command  of  God,  he 
thought  of  nothing  but  to  obey,  and  leave  the  event  to  the  divine 
disposal.     Hence,  he   rose   early  in  the   morning,   and,  without 
any  delay,  addressed  himself  to  the  solemn  service.     This  was 
true  obedience — this  was  the  obedience  of  the  heart — this  was 
the  obedience  of  faith   and  love — this  was  true  religion.     The 
same  is  the  nature,  the  spirit,  of  all  true  obedience.     The  same 
is  the  spirit  which  has  dwelt,  and  which   still   dwells,   in  all  the 
true  children  of  God.     They  do  not  consult  their  own  ease  or 
convenience,  their  worldly  inclinations  or  inter^ests ;,  they  do  not 
consult  with  the   world,  in  respect  to  the  divine  commands. 
The  prudent  children  of  God  will  not,   indeed,   be  hasty,  and 
rash,  and  presumptuous  ;  but  will  carefully   inquire,  and  use  all 
proper  moans  to  know,  wlmt  thn   cnm;v.:in'l.  or  the  ^vill  nf  thf>. 


102  SERMOiN    XXXII. 

Lord  is.  But,  when  once  this  is  known,  they  liavc  nothing  to 
do  but  to  obey,  be  the  service  required  ever  so  difficult, 
ever  so  painful.  There  is  not  a  true  child  of  God  in  this  house, 
there  is  not  a  true  child  of  God  upon  the  earth,  who  would  not, 
if  called  to  it,  visit  the  awful  top  of  Moriah,  and  there,  upon  the 
altar  of  duty,  sacrifice  his  dearest  hope,  offer  up  to  God  his  dar- 
ling child,  his  only  son. 

3.  We  are  led  to  reflect  on  the  excellency  and  the  power  of 
true  faith. 

It  was  hy  faith  that  Abraham  offered  up  Isaac;  and  he  who 
had  received  the  promises  offered  up  his  only  begotten.  It  was 
by  faith  that  he  calmly  endured  the  sharpest  of  trials,  and  cheer- 
fully performed  the  most  arduous  of  services.  And  by  the  same 
divine  principle  have  the  people  of  God,  in  all  ages,  been  sup- 
ported under  their  trials,  and  been  carried  forward  in  the  path 
of  obedience  and  of  victory.  Faith  hath  subdued  kingdoms, 
wrought  righteousness,  obtained  promises,  stopped  the  mouths  of 
lions,  quenched  the  violence  of  fire,  turned  aside  the  edge  of  the 
sword,  displayed  strength  in  the  midst  of  weakness,  smiled  in 
the  midst  of  the  most  formidable  dangers,  vanquished  the  pow- 
ers of  darkness,  triumphed  over  death  and  the  grave,  opened 
the  gates  of  heaven,  and  raised  the  fallen  children  of  Adam  from 
the  confines  of  irremediable  perdition,  to  the  realms  of  unfading 
glory.  Yes,  my  brethren,  it  is  faith  which  provides  the  best 
support  under  trials,  the  best  consolations  in  affliction,  the  best 
encouragements  and  aids  to  duty.  Have  faith,  christians,  and 
you  may  endure  all  things,  you  may  enjoy  all  things,  you  may 
perform  all  things.  Had  Abraham  the  word  of  God,  on  which 
to  rest,  in  the  day  of  his  trial  ^  so  have  you.  It  is  the  word  of 
God,  Fear  not,  for  1  am  with  thee;  be  not  dismayed,  for  I  am 
thy  God.  Had  Abraham  a  divine  word  for  his  support  and  con- 
solation in  the  day  of  sorrow.'*  so  have  you.  It  is  the  word  of 
God,  All  things  uwrk  together  for  good,  to  them  that  love  God. 
Had  Abraham  a  divine  word  to  encourage  him  in  the  day  of 
arduous  duty  i^  so  have  you.  It  is  the  word  of  God,  J\Iy  grace 
is  sufficient  for  thee.  Yes,  christian,  be  strong  in  faith,  and  in 
^very  situation  in  which  you  may  be  placed,  you  will  derive  sup- 


SERMON  XXXII.  40a 

port  and  consolation  from  the  word  of  God,  Have  faith,  a 
lively,  vigorous  faith,  and  you  will  always  see  God  worthy  to  be 
loved,  worthy  to  be  trusted,  worthy  to  be  obeyed  !  you  will  al- 
ways find  him  your  shield,  and  your  exceeding  great  reward ; 
and,  favoured  with  his  presence,  you  will  find  every  trial  sup- 
portable, every  affliction  light,  every  service  easy.  In  this  land 
of  your  pilgrimage,  you  will  find  the  need  of  faith.  You  will  all 
have  your  trials.  And  if  there  be  an  earthly  object  which 
seems  to  rival  God  in  your  affections,  you  may  expect  that  in 
that  particular  object,  he  will  try  the  supremacy  of  your  love, 
and  the  steadfastness  of  your  faith.  Pray,  then,  that  your  faith 
may  be  increased  and  confirmed,  that  it  fail  not  in  the  try- 
ing day. 

To  conclude,  in  the  wonderful  transaction  before  us,  dis- 
cern one  infinitely  more  stupendous !  What  was  the  love 
of  Abraham,  or  of  Isaac  to  the  Lord,  in  comparison  with  the 
love  of  God  the  Father,  in  giving  his  only  begotten  Son,  for  the 
salvation  of  mankind  ;  or  with  the  love  of  the  Son  himself,  in 
undertaking  this  arduous  work  ?  The  Lord  had  been  a  most 
liberal  friend  and  benefactor  to  Abraham,  before  his  v^  illingness 
to  ofTer  Isaac  as  a  burnt  offering  was  manifested.  But  God 
commendeth  his  love  towards  us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sin- 
ners, Christ  died  for  us.  Isaac  was  a  sinner,  born  to  die.  But 
the  Son  of  God  assumed  human  nature,  for  the  very  purpose  of 
dying  for  us.  If  Isaac  was  justly  beloved  by  Abraham,  Jesus  was 
the  beloved  Son  of  the  Father,  in  whom  he  was  well  pleased. 
Had  Isaac  died,  it  would  have  been  whhout  extraordinary  pain, 
and  with  singular  reputation.  But  Christ  tasted  death  in  all  its 
bitterness,  died  with  violence,  overwhelmed  with  contempt  and 
insult,  and  loaded  with  the  weight  of  all  our  iniquities.  It 
pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him,  to  put  him  to  grief;  and  he  bare 
our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.  In  this  w'e  perceive  the 
love  of  God  towards  sinful  men,  in  that  he  hath  not  withheld  his 
Son,  his  only  Son,  from  us.  In  this  we  perceive  the  love  of 
Christ,  in  that  he  gave  himself  a  sacrifice  for  our  sins. 

Behold,  he  dies  !   yet  rises !  lives  !    ascends,  and  intercedes 
for  us  !  Exalted  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  from  his  throne 


404  SERMON  XXXII. 

of  glory  he  calls  to  guilty  men,  and  invites  them  to  come  and 
receive  his  blood-bought  salvation.  Let  sinners,  then,  be  warn- 
ed to  hear  his  voice,  and  encouraged  to  trust  in  his  grace. 
Whose  heart  is  not  affected  with  the  scene,  between  Abraham 
and  his  son,  on  mount  Moriah  .''  How  much  more,  then,  should 
our  hearts  be  most  tenderly  affected  in  view  of  the  cross  of 
Calvary,  where  the  Son  of  the  Highest  expires  in  unutterable 
agony,  to  atone  for  our  sins,  and  to  procure  salvation  for  our 
souls  .'*  Look  here,  O  sinners,  and  Jearn  the  dreadful  evil  of 
sin  ;  and  let  your  hearts  be  melted  into  penitential  sorrow. 
Look  here,  and  see  what  manner  of  love  is  manifested .!  Be- 
hold, believe,  and  live  forever  ! 


SERMON    XXXIir. 


GOD  S    FEELINGS    TOWARDS    THE    WICKED. 


EzEKiEL  xxxni.  1  I . 

.fJs  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked  ;  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  ^ay  and  live. 

J.N  all  ages  of  the  world,  very  erroneous  notions,  respecting 
God,  have  been  prevalent  among  mankind.  Two  errours,  es- 
pecially, opposite  in  kind,  yet  tending  to  the  same  effect,  have 
been  most  proHfick  sources  of  evil,  and  have  proved,  in  all 
probability,  the  ruin  of  many.  One  is,  that  God  is  in  such  a 
sense,  and  to  such  an  extent,  merciful,  that  he  will  not  punish, 
in  another  world,  any  of  mankind,  for  the  sins  committed  in  the 
present  life.  The  other  is,  that  such  are  his  feelings  towards  a 
large  portion  of  mankind,  that  he  will  delight  in  making  them 
eternally  miserable.  Under  the  influence  of  the  former  of  these 
errours,  many  regard  a  serious  and  earnest  attention  to  religion, 
-and  the  concerns  of  the  world  to  come,  as  unnecessary,  and 
fearlessly  walk  in  the  way  of  their  own  hearts^  and  in  the  sight 
of  their  own  eyes.  Under  the  influence  of  the  latter,  not  a  few 
settle  into  a  sort  of  practical  and  querulous  despondency  ;  as  if 
they  were  probably  reprobates,  for  whom  there  is  no  mercy, 
and  to  whom  no  concern  for  the  soul,  no  seeking  for  salvation, 
would  be  of  any  avail. 


406  SERMON   XXXIII. 

Tliisj  last  appears  to  have  been  a  prevalent  erroiir,  among 
the  Jews,  in  Ezekiel's  day.  It  was  a  time  of  abounding  iniqui- 
ty ;  and,  on  account  of  their  iniquities,  the  people  were  made 
to  feel  the  judgments  of  God,  and  were  threatened  with  still 
heavier  calamities.  They  were  solemnly  warned  of  their  dan- 
ger, and  earnestly  called  upon  to  repent.  But,  instead  of  hum- 
bly accepting  the  punishment  of  their  iniquities  ;  instead  of 
repenting,  and  talcing  hold  on  the  mercy  of  God  ;  they  were  ir- 
ritated by  their  sufferings,  and  by  the  warnings  and  expostula- 
tions with  which  they  were  addressed;  and,  regarding  God  as 
implacable  towards  them,  they  gave  indulgence  to  an  xmbeliev- 
ing  despondency,  as  if  even  repentance  would  avail  them  nothing, 
and  hardened  themselves  in  sin,  by  rebellious  murmurings  and 
complaints.  Ij\  said  they,  If  our  transgressions  and  our  sins  he 
upon  us,  and  we  ^?me  away  in  them,  how  should  ive  then  live  ? 
God  is  already  inflicting  punishment  upon  us,  and  seems  deter- 
mined to  destroy  us  ;  of  what  use  then  would  our  repentance 
be,  and  why  are  we  so  incessantly  called  upon  to  repent  .''  It 
was  with  reference,  directly,  to  this  unreasonable  and  rebellious 
complaint,  that  Jehovah  so  solemnly  uttered  the  momentous 
declaration  in  our  text.     As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I 

HAVE     NO     PLEASURE    IN    THE    DEATH    OF    THE    WICKED  ;     BUT 
THAT     THE    WICKED     TURN     FROM    HIS    WAY    AND    LIVE.         The 

purport  is,  "  Your  complaints  are  unreasonable  and  wicked.  1 
am  not  implacable.  I  have  no  delight  in  your  misery ;  no  wish  for 
your  destruction.  On  the  contrary,  rebellious  and  guilty  as  you 
are,  I  regard  you  with  infinite  compassion  ;  and  my  warnings,  and 
calls  upon  you  to  repent,  proceed  from  pure  and  sovereign  mercy. 
There  is  forgiveness  with  me,  and  plenteous  redemption  ;  and  if 
you  will  repent  and  turn,  you  shall  assuredly  find  pardon  and  life." 
To  this  effect  did  Jehovah  condescend  to  address  himself  to 
the  rebellious  people  of  Judah,  in  ancient  times.  To  the  same 
effect  does  he  address  himself  to  sinners  in  every  place,  where 
his  word  is  published,  at  the  present  day.  That  all  who  have 
an  ear  to  hear,  and  a  heart  to  feel,  might  have  the  strongest  pos- 
sible assurance  of  the  truth,  he  has  confirmed  it  with  an  oath  ; 
anfl  because   he   could   swear  by  no  greater,   he  has  sworn  by 


SERMON  XXXIII.  407 

himself.  As  i  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in 
the  death  of  the  uicked  ;  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way 
and  live. 

The  everlasting  God  here  declares  with  an  oath, 

I.  That  he  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  a  sinner ;  and, 

II.  That  he  has  pleasure  in  the  conversion  and  salvation  of 
sinners. 

These  most  interesting  truths  I  shall  consider  in  their  ordei\ 

I.  Then,  God  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  a  sinner. 

He  has  no  pleasure  in  the  temporal  death  of  any  of  our  fallen 
race;  for  he  doth  not  even  ajffiict  willingly,  nor  grieve  the  child- 
ren  of  men.  But,  by  the  death  of  the  sinner,  we  are  here  espe- 
cially to  understand  that  death  which  is  sin's  desert ;  that  eter- 
nal misery,  to  which  every  sinner  is  justly  exposed.  This  is 
the  death,  in  which  God  says  he  has  no  pleasure.  Is  there, 
then,  an  individual  in  this  assembly,  who  is  not  fully  persuaded 
of  this  truth,  that  God  has  no  pleasure  in  the  everlasting  misery 
of  a  sinner  .'*  Though  it  is  not  possible  to  conceive  of  any  higher 
proof  than  the  word  of  God,  confirmed  by  his  oath,  yet  there 
are  some  plain  facts,  which  are  in  perfect  agreement  with  this 
solemn  asseveration,  and  which  ma}^  serve  to  impress  the  truth 
more  deeply  on  the  mind. 

1,  God  is  a  being  of  infinite  goodness. 

This  fact  is  declared  throughout  his  word,  is  proclaimed  bv 
all  his  works,  and  is  believed  by  all  persons,  who  have  any  en- 
lightened belief  in  his  existence.  He  is  the  uncreated  and  ever- 
lasting Fountain  of  all  the  good  in  the  universe ; — of  all  the 
facuhies,  knowledge,  virtue,  and  happiness,  of  angels  and  men ; 
of  all  the  grandeur,  order,  and  beauty,  of  the  heavens  and  earth  ; 
of  all  the  riches,  both  transitory  and  durable,  both  earthly  and 
heavenly,  with  which  the  universe  is  stored.  His  very  nature  is 
love — infinite  love.  He  alone  is  good  ;  absolutely,  esseniially, 
independently  good. 

Can  he  then  take  pleasure  in  the  death  of  a  sinner  ?  Can  he 
take  delight  in  the  misery  of  any  of  his  creatures  ^  A  good  pa- 
rent takes  no  pleasure  in  the  pain  of  the  child,  whom  he  finds  it 
needful   to  jninish  ;    u  good  magistrate  takes  no  pleasure  in  the 


4ab  SERMON  XXXlII. 

sufferings  of  the  culprit,  whom  justice  requires  him  to  consign  to 
prison,  and  to  death;  good  men,  good  angels,  take  no  pleasure 
in  the  misery  of  their  fellow  beings,  however  deservedly  they 
may  suffer.  How  much  less  can  He,  whose  goodness  is  un- 
bounded, whose  benevolence  is  immeasurable,  take  pleasure  in 
the  eternal  misery  of  any  creature  that  he  has  made,  and  which 
dies  under  his  hand  ! 

2.  God  has  provided  a  ransom  for  sinners.  He  has  sent  his 
Son  into  the  world,  not  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the  world, 
through  him,  might  be  saved. 

Has  he,  then,  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked  ?  If,  my 
hearers,  there  is  a  doubt  on  your  minds,  turn  your  eyes,  1  be- 
seech you,  to  Calvary.  Behold  the  Son  of  God,  who  come 
down  from  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  bearing  your  sins  in  his  own 
body  on  the  tree  ;  pouring  out  his  soul  unto  death,  that  he  might 
redeem  you  from  iniquity,  bring  you  to  repentance,  save  you 
from  deserved  wo,  and  raise  you  to  immortal  glory.  In  all  this, 
the  love  of  the  Father  towards  you  was  as  great  as  the  love  of 
the  Son.  In  the  whole  stupendous  transaction,  they  were  per- 
fectly united.  The  Father  sent  the  Son,  and  the  Son  come 
down  and  died  for  you,  and  for  all  mankind,  because  they  were 
both  at  an  infinite  remove  from  having  any  pleasure  in  the  death 
of  the  wicked. 

3.  In  every  age  of  the  world,  the  Holy  Spirit  has  been  en- 
gaged for  the  benefit  of  mankind. 

From  period  to  period,  patriarchs  and  prophets  were  in- 
spired by  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  make  known  the  divine  will,  to 
publish  divine  mercy,  to  unfold  the  scheme  of  divine  grace,  until 
the  volume  of  divine  instruction  was  completed ; — that  blessed 
volume,  which  is  able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation,  and  in 
which  the  way  of  life  is  made  so  plain,  that  he  who  runs  may 
read.  Besides  this,  the  same  holy  and  gracious  Spirit  has,  in 
all  generations,  been  striving  with  sinners,  to  engage  their  atten- 
tion, to  quicken  their  consciences,  to  enlighten  their  minds,  to 
renovate  their  hearts,  and  to  conduct  them  to  heaven.  And, 
though  he  has  been  constantly  despised  and  resisted,  and  often 
.<o  grieved  and  provoked  as  to  leave  the  obdurate  contemners  of 


SERMON  XXXIII.  409 

his  grace  to  their  own  chosen  ways ;  yet  many  thousands  and 
milHons  has  he  brought  to  repentance,  kept  by  his  mighty  power, 
and  made  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  glorious  inheritance  of  the 
saints  in  light. 

All  this  is  the  work  of  God.  Though  officially  done  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  yet  it  has  been  done  by  the  will  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son.  All  the  persons  in  the  adorable  Trinity  have  thus 
been  engaged  for  the  salvation  of  sinners.  And  why  !'  Because 
God  has  no  pleasure  in  any  sinner's  death. 

4.  God  has  exercised  towards  sinners  much  long-suffering, 
waited  on  them  to  be  gracious,  and  used  a  great  variety  of  means 
to  convince  them  of  tlieir  guilt  and  danger,  and  to  persuade  them 
to  escape  from  destruction,  and  lay  hold  on  everlasting  life. 

Of  all  this,  my  hearers,  you  yourselves  are  witnesses.  You 
will  readily  admit  that  you,  even  as  others,  are  sinners.  Even 
those  of  you  who  have  obeyed  the  gospel,  and  become  recon- 
ciled to  God,  were  ojice  foolish,  disobedient,  deceived,  serving 
divers  lusts  and  pleasures,  living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful,  and 
hating  one  another.  And  those  of  you  who  have  not  repented, 
have  lived  all  your  days,  even  until  now,  in  rebellion  against 
heaven,  and  the  God,  in  whose  hand  your  breath  is,  you  have 
never  glorified.  Yet  you  are  spared.  God  your  Maker,  and 
the  high  God  your  Redeemer,  whose  law  you  have  continually 
transgressed,  and  whose  goodness  you  have  unceasingly  abused, 
still  preserves  you  in  life,  and  loads  you  with  his  benefits.  Alt 
your  lives  long,  he  has  watched  over  you  to  do  you  good.  All 
your  lives  long,  he  has  been  stretching  out  his  hand  unto  you, 
calling  after  you,  reproving,  warning,  expostulating,  persuading, 
entreating  ;  assuring  you  of  pardon  and  life,  if  you  would  heark- 
en unto  him,  and  even  pleading,  with  all  the  importunity  of  in- 
finite compassion.  Turn  ye,  turn  ye  ;  for  tvhy  ivill  ye  die  ! 

The  same  has  he  done  towards  sinners,  in  every  age  of  the 
world.  Ever  since  his  voice  was  first  heard  in  Eden,  Adam, 
where  art  thoul  that  same  voice  has  been  calling,  with  unceas- 
ing soUcitude,  with  unabating  earnestness  and  tenderness,  after 
the  lost  children  of  Adam,  in  ihcir  successive  generations.  His 
judgments,  indeed,  have  been  in  the  en  rib  ;  anH  mu't'tudes  of 
5.2 


41U  SERMON  XXXlli. 

obdurate  sinners,  who  have  set  at  naught  his  count.d,  and  des- 
pised his  reproof,  have  been  cut  oft' in  their  iniquities,  and  made 
to  eat  of  the  fruit  of  their  own  way.  Yet  he  has  ever  made  it 
manifest,  that  punishment  is  his  strange  tvork  ;  that  he  is  slow 
unto  anger  ;  that  he  delighteth  in  mercy  ;  that,  hke  the  father  ia 
tlie  parable  of  the  prodigal  son,  he  is  forward  to  forgive. 

In  view  of  all  these  striking  facts,  these  demonstrative  exlii- 
bitions,  is  it  possible  that  any  person  should  withhold  himself 
from  yielding  the  unreserved  assent  of  his  mind,  the  grateful 
confidence  of  his  heart,  to  the  declaration  of  Jehovah,  when  he 
says,  with  the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  i  have  no   pleasure  in 

THE  DEATH  OF  THE  WICKED  ?    Let  US,  then, 

IT.  Consider,  more  directly,  that  God  has  pleasure  in  the 
conversion  and  salvation  of  sinners. 

This  truth  is  so  intimately  connected  with  the  foregoing,  that 
the  same  arguments  which  serve  to  confirm  the  one,  go  also  to 
establish  the  other  ;  yet  some  things  may  be  added,  which  be- 
long more  especially  to  this  branch  of  our  general  subject. 

The  expression  employed  in  the  text  deserves  particular  no- 
tice :  But  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live.  Je- 
hovah does  not  say  that  he  has  pleasure  in  the  life,  or  salvation, 
of  those  who  do  not  turn  from  their  evil  way.  From  the  text 
entire,  indeed,  and  from  the  plain  tcnour  of  his  word,  and  of  his 
providence,  it  is  clearly  manifest,  that,  although  he  has  no  plea- 
sure in  the  death  of  the  finally  impenitent  wicked,  yet  much  less 
could  he  have  pleasure  in  their  life.  This,  my  hearers,  is  a 
point,  which  demands  your  most  serious  attention  ;  because  it  is, 
in  itself,  a  point  of  the  utmost  importance,  and  yet  is  too  gener- 
ally overlooked.  When  once  it  is  understood  that  God  has  no 
pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  people  are  too  ready  to 
conclude  that  the  wicked,  even  those  who  impenitently  persist 
in  sin  to  the  last,  will  not  die, — will  not  be  doomed  to  everlasting 
misery.  This  conclusion  is  most  unwarrantable,  and  most  dan- 
gerous. Let  me  repeat  it,  and  let  the  momentous  truth  be  dis- 
tinctly and  seriously  considered  by  every  hearer,  that,  thougli 
the  ever  blessed  God  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  finally 
impenitent,  yet  much  less  can  he  have  pleasure  in  iheir  life. 


SERMON   XXXIli.  411 

Tlie  reason  is  plain.  Should  he  bestow  eternal  life  on  those 
who  live  and  die  in  unyielding  rebellion  against  him,  he  would 
obscure  his  perfections,  he  would  tarnish  his  character,  he  would 
dishonour  his  majesty.  He  would  give  up  his  holy  law  to  con- 
tempt,— would  violate  the  principles  of  eternal  rectitude, — would 
destroy  the  confidence  of  holy  beings  in  his  truth  and  equhy, — 
would  throw  his  whole  kingdom  into  disorder  and  confusion,  and 
fill  heaven  itself  with  darkness  and  dismay.  This  would  be,  in 
his  estimation,  and  certainly  in  the  estimation  of  every  holy,  of 
every  reasonable  being,  an  infinitely  greater  evil,  than  for  the 
finally  impenitent,  the  obstinate  despisers  of  his  mercy,  to  sufi'er 
the  punishment  which  they  deserve,  and  which  he  has  threaten- 
ed. Besides,  how  could  they  live, — how  could  they  dwell  in 
heaven,  unwashed  from  their  pollutions,  unreconciled  to  God, 
unfitted  in  the  disposition  of  their  minds,  for  the  employments 
and  felicities  of  those  pure  and  blissful  mansions .''  Can  any 
reasonable  person  think  it  strange,  that  the  infinitely  holy  God, 
though  he  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  should 
yet  prefer  that  the  obdurate  sinner,  who,  during  the  whole  season 
of  his  merciful  probation,  neglects  the  great  salvation,  resists  the 
Holy  Spirit,  tramples  on  the  blood  of  redemption,  and  adds  con- 
tumacy to  rebellion, — should  dwell  in  the  region  of  eternal  dark- 
ness and  wo,  rather  than  in  die  realms  of  everlasting  light  and 

joy  ? 

Still,  that  God  has  pleasure  in  the  conversion  and  salvation 
of  sinners,  is  a  truth  as  certain  as  it  is  important.  This  truth, 
as  before  intimated,  is  made  evident,  by  all  the  striking  facts, 
and  demonstrative  considerations,  which  were  adduced  under 
our  former  head.  Is  Jehovah  a  being  of  infinite  goodness,  of 
unmeasurable  benevolence  ^  Has  the  eternal  Father  given  his 
Son  from  his  bosom  ;  and  has  the  eternal  Son  come  down  from 
heaven  to  die  for  sinners, — to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost  9  Has 
the  eternal  Spirit  been  engaged  ever  since  the  fs^ll,  in  making 
known  the  divine  will,  in  revealing  divine  trutli  and  grace,  and 
in  striving  by  his  gracious  influences,  with  sinners,  for  their  good 
unto  salvation .''  Has  the  Triune  God,  in  all  generations,  exer- 
cised towards  sinners  the  ragst  astonisliing  forbearance  and  long- 


4iii  SERMON   XXXIII. 

suffering,  and  employed  with  them  all  the  warnings  and  admo- 
nitions, all  the  entreaties  and  expostulations,  all  the  arguments 
and  persuasions,  that  boundless  wisdom  and  mercy  could  sug- 
gest, to  prevail  on  them  to  turn  from  their  ways  and  live  t  What 
proof,  then,  what  demonstration,  stronger,  more  convincing,  or 
•more  impressive,  could  we  possibly  have,  that  he  has  pleasure 
in  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  sinners  ? 

Infinite  goodness  must  be  pleased  with  the  turning  of  the 
wicked,  from  rebellion  to  obedience,  from  the  errour  of  their 
ways  unto  the  wisdom  of  the  just.  Infinite  benevolence  must 
rejoice  in  the  recovery  of  lost  men,  from  pollution  and  misery, 
to  purity  and  happiness.  It  is  impossible  it  should  be  otherwise. 
We  need  not  wonder,  then,  to  hear  from  the  lips  of  the  Saviour 
of  the  world,  that  there  is  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  re- 
penteth.  We  need  not  doubt  the  justness  of  his  beautiful  and 
striking  parables  of  the  lost  sheep,  the  lost  piece  of  money,  and 
the  lost  son,  by  which  the  mercy  of  heaven  in  seeking,  and  the 
delight  of  heaven  in  recovering  lost  sinners,  are  so  affectingly 
and  impressively  represented.  Indeed,  we  need  not  wonder, 
that  the  high  and  lofty  One,  who  inhabiteth  eternity,  has,  from 
the  beginning,  made  it  the  great  labour  of  his  sovereign  love,  of 
all  his  adorable  attributes,  to  recover  fallen  mankind  from  cor- 
ruption to  soundness,  from  pollution  to  purity,  from  wretched- 
ness to  happiness,  from  debasement,  infamy,  and  death,  \o  glory, 
and  honour,  and  immortality.  This  is  a  labour  worthy  of  in- 
finite wisdom  and  infinite  benevolence  ;  and  suited,  beyond 
every  other,  to  illustrate  all  the  perfections  of  the  Godhead,  and 
to  advance  the  glory  of  him  who  only  is  good,  and  doeth  wond- 
rous things.  Admit  that  God  has  pleasure  in  the  conversion 
and  salvation  of  sinners,  and  the  whole  system  of  revealed  truth, 
the  whole  work  of  redemption,  and  the  whole  economy  of  prov- 
idence, appear  consistent,  momentous,  and  glorious.  Deny  this 
truth,  and  nothing  is  to  be  seen  in  all  the  ways  of  God  to  men. 
but  inconsistency,  confusion,  and  darkness. 


SERMON   XXXUI.  413 

INFERENCES  AND  REFLECTIONS. 

1.  If  God  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  then 
it  is  not  true  that  he  has  made  a  part  of  mankind  for  destruction  ; 
or,  as  it  is  sometimes  harshly  expressed,  on  purpose  to  damn 
them. 

All  God's  works  are  for  his  own  pleasure.  This  is  expressly 
declared  in  his  word  ;  and  of  the  certainty  of  this,  the  considera- 
tion of  his  absolute  independence  affords  the  fullest  possible 
assurance.  If  Jehovah  is  absolutely  independent ;  if,  in  all  his 
Works  and  ways,  he  acts  from  motives  within  his  own  eternal 
and  unchangeable  mind  ;  then,  assuredly,  he  nover  has  done  any 
thing,  he  never  will  do  any  thing,  which  is  not  for  his  own  pleas- 
ure. If,  then,  he  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked  ; 
it  follows,  necessarily  and  incontrovertibly,  that  the  death,  the 
destruction,  the  damnation  of  the  wicked,  or  any  part  of  them, 
was  not  the  end  which  he  had  in  view,  in  giving  them  existence 

Some  one,  however,  may  ask,  Will  not  some  of  the  wicked 
die,  and  perish  forever  .'*  And  did  not  God  know,  when  he  gave 
them  being,  that  such  would  be  the  event  ? — This,  certainly,  is 
not  to  be  denied,  or  doubted.  But  from  this,  even  were  we 
unable  to  reconcile  it  with  the  sentiment  in  question,  it  would  be 
unreasonable  to  conclude,  in  opposition  to  the  decisive  demon- 
stration now  before  us,  that  he  made  any  of  mankind  on  purpose 
to  destroy  them,  or  to  make  them  miserable.  Is  there,  however, 
any  difficulty  in  the  case  ?  Is  it  difficult  to  conceive  that  God, 
in  his  infinite  wisdom,  might  see  great  and  good  ends  to  be  an- 
swered, by  giving  existence  to  moral  beings,  who  he  foreknew 
would  be  rebellious,  would  persist  in  their  rebellion,  and  would 
finally  be  miserable  forever  r  Does  not  the  very  idea  of  a  proper 
probationary  system  involve  in  it  the  possibility,  and  even  the 
probability,  of  some  being  finally  lost  ?  If  eternal  life  were  made 
certain  to  all  mankind,  could  our  present  state  be,  yi  any  proper 
sense,  called  probationary  ?  Could  it  be  said,  that  life  and  death 
are  set  before  us  ;  or  that  our  eternal  state  is  to  be  determined 
by  the  deeds  done  in  the  bodyi  A  moment's  reflection  must  be 
sufficient  to  satisfy  every  reasonable  mind  that  it  could  not.     I(, 


414  SERMON   XXXm. 

then,  infinite  wisdom  saw  great  and  good  ends  to  be  answered, 
by  putting  such  a  race  of  moral  beings  as  cur's  on  a  temporary 
probation  for  eternal  retributions  ;  it  would,  at  the  same  time, 
sec  great  and  good  ends  to  be  answered,  by  giving  being  to 
those  who  would  be  finally  lost,  as  well  as  to  those  who  would 
be  finally  saved.  The  lost,  as  well  as  the  saved,  are  a  part  of  a 
great  moral  system,  from  which  the  highest  good  is  ultimately  to 
result ;  and  such  of  the  wicked  as  die  in  their  sins  were  brought 
into  existence,  not  for  the  sake  of  being  made  miserable  j  but, 
for  the  sake  of  those  great  and  glorious  ends,  which  are  to  be 
answered,  by  the  system  at  large,  of  which  they  constitute  a 
necessary  part. 

Possibly  some  may  be  inclined  to  ask  still  further  ;  But  has 
not  God  decreed  that  a  certain  portion  of  mankind  shall  continue 
in  sin,  and  be  made  eternally  miserable  ?  And,  if  so,  is  it  not 
strictly  true,  that  he  made  tliem  for  this  end.'* — To  this  I  answer, 
that  even  were  it  so,  that  God  had  absolutely  decreed,  that  a 
certain  portion  of  mankind  should  continue  in  sin,  and  perish 
forever  ;  yet  it  would  not  necessarily  follow  that  their  destruc- 
tion, or  their  misery,  was  tlie  end  which  he  had  in  view,  in  giv- 
ing them  being.  For,  upon  the  general  principle  already  ex- 
hibited, he  might  have  other  ends,  and  these  great  and  good 
ends,  to  answer,  by  their  existence. 

But,  my  hearers,  where  do  we  find,  in  the  scriptures,  any 
such  decree,  or  any  mention  of  any  such  decree  ? — a  decree, 
which  binds  part  of  mankind  down  to  a  state  of  sin  and  death.'* — 
We  do,  indeed,  read  of  an  eternal  purpose  of  God,  j^urposed  in 
Christ  Jesus,  according  to  which  some  of  our  guilty  race  are,  by 
sovereign  grace,  brought  to  repentance,  pardoned,  and  saved  ; — 
an  eternal  purpose,  that  mankind  should  not  all  continue  in  sin, 
and  perish  forever.  But,  of  a  decree  of  absolute  reprobation, — 
of  a  decree,  which  makes  the  repentance  unto  salvation  of  any 
of  mankind  impossible,  the  scriptures  say  nothing.  Why,  then, 
should  it  be  imagined  that  such  a  decree  exists .''  Surely  there 
I'ould  be  no  occasion  for  God  to  do  any  thing,  either  in  the  way 
of  decree,  or  otherwise,  to  hinder  sinners  from  repenting  and 
laying  hold  on  everlasting  life.     They  have,  in  themselves,  no 


SERMON  XXXllI.  415 

.disposition  for  thio  ;  nor  can  tlrey  be  prevailed  on,  uy  the  utmost 
powers  of  pei-suasion,  unaccompanied  by  divine  grace,  to  do  il. 
The  truth  of  the  case  is,  that  mankind  are  in  a  lapsed  and 
ruined  state;  in  a  state  of  moral  corruption,  guilt,  and  condem- 
nation. A  ransom  has  been  provided  for  tliem.  A  Redeemer, 
full  of  grace,  and  mighty  to  save,  has  appeared  for  their  help. 
His  proclamation  is  issued,  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all 
ye  ends  of  the  earth.  Him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  imll  in  no  ivise 
cast  Gilt.  And  sinners  are  invit^sd,  entreated,  commanded,  with 
all  the  earnestness  and  tenderness  of  infinite  love  and  mercy,  to 
repent,  and  accept  the  offered  salvation.  But  they  will  not. 
The  Saviour  himself,  deeply  affected  with  the  deplorable  fact, 
says.  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me  that  ye  might  have  life.  Of 
themselves,  they  never  will.  Of  themselves,  none  of  our  fallen 
race  ever  would  have  repented,  and  come  to  the  Saviour.  But 
God  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  has  pleasure 
in  their  conversion  and  salvation  ;  and,  therefore,  in  his  sove- 
reign mercy,  he  has  determined  that  they  shall  not  all  persist  in 
impenitency,  and  eternally  perish.  According  to  this  infinitely 
merciful  determination,  he  bestows  his  grace  on  whomsoever  he 
will,  and  brings  them  to  repentance,  to  faith  in  the  Saviour,  and 
to  eternal  life.  In  regard  to  those  who  continue  impenitent., 
finally  reject  the  Saviour,  and  die  in  their  sins ;  though  he  haS 
no  pleasure  in  their  death  ;  yet  he  will  make  it  appear  to  the 
universe,  that  he  is  a  God  of  justice,  as  well  as  of  mercy.  He 
will,  therefore,  do  his  work,  his  strange  ivork; — will  punish  them 
with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and 
from  the  glory  of  his  power.  The  doctrine  of  divine  sovereignty 
and  of  the  election  of  grace,  when  viewed  in  a  true  light,  is  al- 
together of  an  aspect  propitious,  benign,  and  lovely.  It  looks 
directly  to  the  salvation,  not  to  the  damnation  of  sinners.  And 
it  is  only  when  presented  in  a  wrong  manner,  or  viewed  in  a  false 
light,  that  it  appears  with  any  other  aspect. 

2.  The  interesting  truth,  declared  in  our  text,  gives  no  coim- 
tenance  to  the  doctrine  of  universal  salvation. 

The  advocates  for  this  doctrine  strangely  overlook,  and  keep 
out  of  sidit.   an  important  and  essential  part  of  the  truth.     It  is 


416  SEHxMON  XXXIU. 

true,  that  God  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked ;  and 
it  is  true,  that  he  has  pleasure  in  their  salvation,  and  would  that 
all  men  should  be  saved.  Thus  far  the  advocates  for  the  doc- 
trine of  universal  salvation  go.  This,  however,  is  not  all  the 
truth.  It  is  the  pleasure  of  God,  that,  in  order  to  their  obtaining 
life,  the  wicked  should  turn  from  their  ivicked  way  ;  that,  in  order 
to  their  being  saved,  all  men  should  come  to  the  knoivledge  of  the 
truth.  But,  is  it  the  fact,  that  all  the  wicked  do  turn  from  their 
wicked  ways  ;  that  mankind  do  all  come  to  the  saving  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth  ,''  This  is  the  great  point  to  be  proved;  and 
until  this  be  made  to  appear,  the  doctrine  of  universal  salvation 
cannot  be  established,  and  should  not  be  believed.  But  this  can 
never  be  made  to  appear.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  most  manifest^ 
that  many  of  the  wicked  continue  in  their  wickedness  ;  that 
many  of  mankind  persist  in  rejecting  the  truth,  even  to  the  last. 
Though  God  has  pleasure  in  the  salvation  of  sinners  ;  yet  he 
has  no  pleasure  in  their  being  saved  in  any  other  way,  than  that 
which,  in  his  infinite  wisdom  and  grace,  he  has  appointed  and 
revealed.  What,  then,  is  this  way  ?  It  is  by  repentance  toivards 
God,  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  by  turoing  from  their 
evil  ways,  and  walking  in  newness  of  life,  and  new  obedience. 
This,  my  hearers,  is  the  way,  the  good  old  way  of  safety  and 
peace  ;  the  way,  to  which  the  scriptures  every  where  direct 
you  ;  and  not  a  single  intimation  can  you  find  in  the  book  of 
God,  that  any  of  mankind  will  be  saved  in  any  other  way.  God 
has  pleasure  in  the  salvation  of  sinners  in  this  way.  He  has 
pleasure  in  their  repentance  towards  him  ;  he  has  pleasure  in 
their  faith  in  Jesus  Christ ;  he  has  pleasure  in  their  holy  obedi- 
ence to  the  gospel ;  and  he  has  pleasure  in  the  glory,  honour, 
and  immortality,  to  which  their  repentance,  faith,  and  obedience 
lead.  x\ccordingly,  the  great  labour  of  his  infinite  love  towards 
sinners  is,  to  bring  them  to  repentance,  that  they  may  attain  to 
this  glorious  salvation.  But,  the  greater  his  pleasure  is,  in  their 
being  saved  in  this  way,  the  more  unwilling  must  he  be  that  they 
should  be  saved  in  any  other.  The  greater  his  pleasure  is  in 
the  turning  of  the  wicked  from  their  wicked  ways,  in  order  that 
ihey  may  Xwq,  the  more  unwilling  must  he  be  that   they  should 


SERMON  XXXIII.  417 

live,  if  they  do  not  turn.  The  whole  system  of  means,  whicli, 
from  generation  to  generation,  he  has  been  employing,  with  all 
the  earnestness  of  infinite  mercy,  to  bring  sinners  to  repentance, 
wliile  it  strikingly  shows  that  his  pleasure  in  their  salvation,  in 
this  way,  is  unspeakably  great,  at  the  same  time  equally  evinces 
that  he  will  save  thern  in  no  other.  Any  doctrine  which  teaches 
that  all  mankind,  however  they  may  live  and  die  in  this  world, 
will  certainly  be  saved  and  happy  in  the  world  to  come,  makes 
all  that  God  has  done,  and  commanded  to  be  done,  to  bring  sin- 
ners to  repentance  and  a  holy  life,  in  order  to  their  salvation, 
utterly  unnecessary  and  useless,  preposterous  and  false. 

3.  The  truths  of  this  subject  should  engage  the  attention  and 
affect  the  heart  of  every  sinner. 

My  hearers,  it  is  the  high  and  lofty  One,  who  inhabiteth 
eterniti/,  that  speaks  in  the  text.  As  Hive,  saith  the  Lord 
God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked  ;  but  that  the 
wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live.  Are  not  some  of  you  among 
those,  concerning  whom  this  declaration  is  made  ?  Are  not 
some, — are  not  many  of  you  sinners — still  impenitent  sinners  .' 
Is  this  solemn  declaration,  this  momentous  oath  of  God  then, 
nothing  to  you.''  If  you  are  impenitent  sinners,  you  are  exposed 
to  death, — to  eternal  death.  You  are,  indeed,  already  under 
condemnation,  and  know  not  how  soon  the  ti-emendous  sentence 
will  be  put  in  execution,  and  place  you  beyond  the  reach  of  hope 
forever.  But  God,  in  whose  hand  you  are,  declares  to  you, 
with  an  oath,  that  he  has  no  pleasure  in  your  death ;  but  that 
you  should  repent  and  live.  What  declaration  should  more 
strongly  engage  your  attention  j  what  truth  more  deeply  affect 
your  hearts .'' 

Some  of  you  may  have  indulged  feelings  and  thoughts,  simi- 
lar to  those  which  were  uttered  by  the  people,  to  whom  this 
declaration  was  first  addressed,  when  they  said.  If  our  transgres- 
sions and  our  sins  be  upon  us,  and  we  pine  away  in  thern,  how 
should  ive  then  live  1  You  may  have  given  way  to  a  sort  of  mur- 
nfturing  and  repining  despondency ;  as  if  there  were  no  mercy 
for  you  :  as  if  God  were  unwilling  to  save  you  ;  as  if  he  would 
53 


118  SERMON   XXXIII. 

take  pleasure  in  making  you  everlastingly  miserable ;  as  il, 
therefore,  it  were. in  vain  for  you  to  seek  unto  him  for  pardon 
and  life.  Be  assured  all  such  feelings  are  utterly  wrong  and  re- 
bellious. They  proceed  from  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief.  God 
has  given  you  his  word,  and  his  oath,  that  he  has  no  pleasure  in 
your  death  ;  that  he  is  willing  to  save  you  ;  that  he  would  be 
pleased,  if  you  would  repent,  take  hold  on  strength,  and  live 
forever. 

Some  of  you,  it  is  hoped,  have  some  sensible  conviction  of 
your  lost  condition  ;  some  serious  concern  for  your  souls  ;  some 
lively  apprehensions  of  wrath,  and  dread  of  eternal  death.  To 
such,  how  deeply  interesting  must  the  truths  of  this  subject  be. 
God  here  discloses  to  you  the  feelings  of  his  heart.  He  lets  you 
know,  that  there  is  forgiveness  mth  him,  and  plenteous  redemp- 
tion ;  that  he  delighteth  in  mercy  ;  that  if  you  die  eternally  it 
will  not  be  because  he  has  pleasure  in  your  death,  but  because 
you  would  not  repent,  and  accept  his  offered  salvation. 

Others  there  may  be,  who  have  thought  but  little  of  any  of 
these  things  ;  who  have  Hved.  and  still  live,  in  listless  ease  and 
security,  as  if  there  were  no  danger,  and  the  salvation  of  their 
souls  required  no  solicitude,  or  serious  attention.  To  such,  the 
subject  is  full  of  rebuke  and  alarm.  Though  you  are  thoughtless 
of  your  state,  God  is  not ;  though  you  feel  secure,  God  sees  you 
to  be  in  most  imminent  danger  ;  though  you  make  light  of  sin, 
and  of  eternal  death,  God  knows  that  your  sins,  if  unrepented  of, 
will  be  bitterness  in  the  latter  end  ;  and  that,  if  you  die  eternally, 
your  miseries  will  be  intolerably  great.  He,  therefore,  is  moved 
with  compassion  towards  you ;  and,  to  awaken  you  from  your 
g\.nlty  slumbers,  declares  to  you  in  a  voice  from  his  glorious  high 
throne,  and  with  the  awful  solemnity  of  an  oath,  that  he  has  no 
pleasure  in  your  death,  but  that  you  should  turn  from  your  way 
and  live.  The  momentous  purport  is,  that,  unconcerned  as  you 
are,  your  condition  is  imminently  dangerous ;  that  if  you  awake 
and  repent,  you  shall  be  saved  from  the  wrath  to  come ;  but  if 
not,  you  must  perish  forever,  and  the  blame  will  not  be  his,  but 
your  own. 


SERMON  XXXIII.  419 

To  all  of  you,  my  dear  hearers,  who  are  still  impenitent, 
whatever  your  thoughts  and  feelings  may  be,  God  now  addresses 
the  solemn  declaration,  that  he  has  no  pleasure  in  your  death  ; 
but  that  you  turn  and  live  ;  and,  with  all  the  melting  tenderness 
of  infinite  mercy,  he  adds  the  earnest  call,    Turn  ye,  turn  ye  ; 

for  why  will  ye  die  9 — Ah,   why  indeed  ? — Surely,  not 

because  it  is  unavoidable  ;  not  because  no  ransom  has  beeq 
found,  and  no  way  of  escape  opened  for  you  ;  not  because  God 
has  any  desire  to  destroy  you,  or  is  unwilling  to  save  you.  fVhy, 
then,  will  you  die?  Is  not  the  true  answer  plainly  and  simply 
this,  that  you  love  your  own  chosen  ways  too  well  to  turn  from 
them  .''  Surely,  the  case  is  clear.  If  you  will  turn,  you  shall 
live.  If  not,  you  must  die.  Yet  you  do  not  turn.  Tlie  question 
returns,  Why  ?  And  can  any  reason  be  given,  but  that  it  is  because 
you  love  the  ways,  from  which  you  are  required  to  turn,  which 
are  the  ways  of  eternal  death,  too  well,  to  turn  from  them,  even 
for  the  sake  of  everlasting  life .''  But,  O  my  friends,  have  you 
weighed  this  matter  as  you  ought  .'*  Is  life,  everlasting  life,  com- 
prising all  the  joys  of  heaven,  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with 
the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season  ?  Is  death,  eternal  death,  com- 
prising all  the  endless  woes  of  hell,  so  light  an  evil,  that  you  can 
be  willing  to  subject  yourselves  to  it,  for  the  sake  of  the  fleeting 
gratifications  of  a  carnal  and  worldly  Hfe .''  Can  it  be  a  light  thing 
to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God,  after  you  have  finally- 
refused  his  mercy,  rejected  his  offered  peace,  and  compelled 
him,  as  it  were,  to  execute  upon  you,  in  all  its  tremendous  ex- 
tent, the  penalty  which  your  sins  have  incurred  ?  Can  your 
hearts  endure,  or  your  hands  he  strong,  in  the  day  when  he  shall 
deal  with  you  ?  O  be  entreated  to  consider.  Surely,  the  loss  of 
eternal  life,  and  being  subjected  to  eternal  death,  cannot  be  a 
light  matter,  when  it  so  powerfully  moves  the  compassion,  and 
calls  forth  the  exertions  of  the  everlasting  God.  Be  assured, 
my  friends,  that,  whatever  may  be  the  suggestions  of  the  evil 
heart  within  you,  God  is  in  earnest,  and  in  the  latter  end  you 
will  find  that  he  has  been  in  earnest,  in  all  his  moving  expres- 
sions of  tenderness  and  compassion,  in  all  his  solemn  and  affect- 


420  SERMON*  XXXm. 

ing  addresses  to  you.  Be  entreated,  then,  humbly  and  dutifully 
to  hearken  to  him.  In  this  your  day,  be  entreated  to  hear  his 
voice  ;  and  do  not,  any  longer,  harden  your  hearts.  The  present 
is,  in  a  special  sense,  a  season  of  mercy.  God  is  showering 
down  salvation  on  many  parts  of  our  land  ;  and  hundreds,  and 
thousands  of  sinners,  in  obedience  to  his  call,  are  turning  from 
their  evil  way,  to  lay  hold  on  everlasting  life.  Is  not  this  as 
important  for  you,  as  it  is  for  them  ,''  Repent^  then,  and  he  con- 
verted, every  one  of  you,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out,  now 
that  times  of  refreshing  are  come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 

4.  If  God  has  pleasure  in  the  conversion  and  salvation  of 
sinners  ;  in  this,  also,  all  his  true  people  must  and  will  have 
pleasure. 

Brethren,  says  the  devoted  Paul,  Brethren,  my  hearth  de- 
sire and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is,  that  they  may  be  saved.  If 
any  man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his.  If,  my 
brethren,  the  same  mind  be  not  in  us,  which  was  also  in  him, 
all  our  professions  and  pretensions  are  vain.  If  we  do  not  feel 
towards  sinners,  in  some  measure  as  he  felt,  when  he  laid  down 
his  life  for  them,  and  as  he  still  feels,  we  may  be  assured  tliat 
we  ourselves  are  yet  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  bond  of  in- 
iquity. But  if  we  do  thus  feel,  we  cannot  be  indifferent,  we 
cannot  be  idle,  in  regard  to  their  salvation  ;  we  cannot  cease  to 
pray  for  them,  or  to  employ  means,  as  we  h.ave  opportunity,  to 
persuade  them  to  turn  from  their  ways  and  live.  It  is  a  high 
privilege,  and  honour,  and  happiness,  which  God  affords  to  his 
people,  that  they  may  be  co-workers  with  him,  in  the  salvation 
of  their  fellow  sinners ;  and  that  they  may  call  upon  him,  in 
the  humble  confidence  that  he  will  graciously  hear  and  answer 
their  prayers,  for  the  effusions  of  his  Spirit,  and  the  revival  of 
his  work  ;  and  for  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  their  kindred 
according  to  the  flesh,  their  neighbours,  and  others,  who  are 
ready  to  perish.  Awake,  then,  christians,  from  your  deathlike 
slumbers ;  arise,  and  call  upon  God ;  plead  and  wrestle  with 
him,  and  give  him  no  rest,  until  he  pour  waters  upon  him  that  is 
thirsty,   and  foods  upon  this  dry  ground ;    until   he  jwur  his 


SERMON  XXXIII.  421 

Spirit  upon  us,  and  his  blessing  upon  our  offsj^ri^t^r  ;  and  t/iei/ 
.^jJi'ing  up  as  among  the  grass,  as  willows  by  the  ivatcr  courses ; 
and  one  shall  say,  I  am  the.  Lord's  ;  and  another  shall  call  him- 
self by  the  name  of  Jacob  ;  and  another  shall  subscribe  with  his 
hand  tinto  the  Lord,  and  surname  himself  by  the  name  of  Israel ; 
and  lliis  place  shall  be  a  mountain  of  holiness,  and  a  habitation 
o(  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. — Amen. 


SERMON   XXXIV. 


GREAT    Q.UESTION    OP    CIRCUMCISION. 


»@« 


Acts  XV.  30,  31. 

So  when  they  were  dismissed,  they  came  to  Antioch  ;  and  when  they 
had  gathered  the  multitude  together,  they  delivered  the  epistle  ;  which 
when  they  had  read,  they  rejoiced  for  the  consolation. 

JL  HE  gospel  has  always  had  to  sustain  various  opposition. 
While  some  of  the  attacks  made  upon  it  have  been  with  declared 
hostility,  and  open  violence  ;  others  have  been  masked  with  the 
guise  of  friendship,  and  conducted  with  deceitful  stratagem.  Of 
this,  the  distinguished  preachers,  Paul  and  Barnabas,  had  pain- 
ful experience.  While  executing  the  arduous  mission,  on  which 
they  were  sent  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  into  difterent  and  distant 
countries,  they  met  with  many  declared  and  virulent  adversaries; 
and  after  their  return,  even  in  the  bosom  of  the  church  at  An- 
tioch  in  Syria,  they  found  themselves  involved  in  another  kind 
of  warfare,  less  violent  indeed,  but  not  less  tiying.  The  history 
of  the  rise,  progress,  and  issue  of  this,  is  briefly  recorded  in 
the  chapter  of  our  text. 

After  their  return  to  Antioch,  Paul  and  Barnabas  abode  long 
time  with  the  disciples  there;  and  employed  themselves,  no 
doubt,  with  their  wonted  diligence  and  zeal,  for  the  edification 
and  increase  of  that  numerous  and  important  church.  At  length, 
tertain  men  came  down  from  Judea,  and  taught  the  brethren^ 


SERMON   XXXI V.  42§ 

saying,  Except  ye  he  circumcised  after  the  manner  of  Moses,  yc 
cannot  be  saved.  When,  therefore,  Paul  and  Barnabas  had  no 
small  dissension  and  disputation  with  them,  they  determined  that 
Paul  and  Barnabas,  and  certain  other  of  them,  should  go  up  to 
Jerusalem,  unto  the  apostles  and  elders,  about  this  question.  In 
the  second  chapter  of  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians,  Paul,  referring 
to  this  controversy,  and  the  consequent  journey  to  Jerusalem, 
has  a  passage,  which  may  properly  be  introduced  here.  Then, 
fourteen  years  after,  I  went  up  again  to  Jerusalem  with  Barna- 
bas, and  took  Titus  with  me  also.  And  I  went  up  by  revelation, 
and  communicated  unto  them  that  gospel  which  I  preach  among 
the  Gentiles  ;  but  privately  to  them  which  were  of  reputation,  lest 
by  any  means  I  had  run,  or  should  run,  in  vain.  But  neither 
Titus,  who  was  with  me,  being  a  Greek,  was  compelled  to  be 
circumcised  ;  and  that  because  of  false  brethren  unawares  brovgJit 
in,  who  came  in  privily  to  spy  out  our  liberty,  which  we  have  in 
Christ  Jesus,  that  they  might  bring  us  into  bondage  ;  to  whom 
we  gave  place  by  subjection,  no  not  for  an  hour,  that  the  truth  of 
the  gospel  might  continue  with  you. 

Some  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees,  it  would  seem,  insincere- 
ly professed  faith  in  the  gospel,  and  artfully  procured  themselves 
to  be  introduced  into  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  and  even  into  the 
ministry.  Some  of  these,  in  the  spirit  of  their  sect,  went  to  An- 
tioch,  to  spy  out  the  liberty,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  which 
the  Gentile  believers  there  had  in  Christ,  or  in  the  gospel ;  and 
to  bring  them  into  bondage,  by  insisting  that,  unless  they  came 
under  the  law  of  Moses,  they  could  not  be  saved.  And  when 
the  question  came  to  Jerusalem,  there,  also,  rose  up  certain  of 
the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  who  believed,  or  professed  to  believe, 
saying.  That  it  was  needful  to  circumcise  them,  and  command 
them  to  keep  the  law  of  Moses.  The  controversy,  then,  regard- 
ed, not  circumcision  merely,  but  the  whole  Mosaick  law. 

To  us  it  may  seem  unaccountable,  that  at  this  period,  at 
least  seventeen  years  after  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  there  should  have  been  any  question 
among  the  professed  believers  in  the  gospel,  whether  the  law  of 
Mpses  were  in  fwce.     Probablv.  indeed,  tlie  fact  has  not  beea 


424  SERMON   XXXIV. 

siifficienily  adverted  to,  that,  until  the  period  now  in  view,  and 
even  for  a  considerable  time  afterward,  the  Mosaick  law  was 
generally  observed  by  the  Jewish  believers.  That  such  was  the 
idct,  is  certain  from  various  circumstances.  Paul  himself,  when 
at  Lystra,  on  his  second  apostolick  tour,  which  was  a  year  or 
two  after  this  controversy  with  the  false  brethren,  took  and  cir- 
cumcised Timothy  because  of  the  Jews  ivhich  were  in  those  quar- 
ters. About  two  years  after  this,  "  he  shaved  his  own  head  at 
Cenchrea,  according  to  the  ritual  law  ;  because  he  had  a  vow." 
And  still  several  years  later,  when  he  returned  from  Europe  to 
Jerusalem,  the  apostle  James,  and  all  the  elders  present,  said  to 
him,  Thou  seesf,  brother,  how  many  thousands  of  Jews  there  are, 
who  believe;  axd  they  are  all  zealous  of  the  law.  And 
they  are  informed  of  thee,  that  thou  teachest  all  the  Jews  which 
are  among  the  Gentiles,  to  forsake  Moses,  saying  that  they  ought 
not  to  circumcise  their  children,  neither  to  icalk  after  the  customs. 
What  is  it  therefore  ?  The  multitude  must  needs  come  together  ; 
for  they  will  hear  that  thou  art  come.  Do  therefore  this  that  we 
say  unto  thee  :  We  have  four  men  that  have  a  voio  on  them ; 
them  take  and  purify  thyself,  and  be  at  charges  with  them  ;  that 
they  may  shave  their  heads  ;  and  all  may  knoiv  that  those  things 
whereof  they  were  infoimed  concerni?ig  thee,  are  nothing ;    but 

that    THOU     THYSELF    ALSO    WALKEST    ORDERLY,   AND   KEEPEST 

THE  LAW.  To  this  proposal  Paul  consented  ;  and  it  is  clear, 
beyond  dispute,  that  until  this  late  period,  the  Jewish  christians 
generally  observed  the  ritual  law.  And  they  continued  to  ob- 
serve it,  until  about  ten  years  afterwards,  when  the  whole  Jew- 
ish state  was  overturned  by  the  Romans.  The  reason  of  this,  it 
does  not  come  within  my  present  hmits  largely  to  show.  It  may 
be  observed  in  brief,  however,  that  the  law  of  Moses  was  not 
only  the  religious,  but  also  the  civil  law  of  the  Jewish  nation ; 
and,  in  renouncing  that,  the  Jewish  believers  would  have  been 
considered  as  renouncing  their  allegiance  to  the  state.  The 
Jews,  also,  had  been  accustomed  to  observe  that  law,  not  only 
as  sacred,  but  as  of  perpetual  obligation.  It  was,  therefore,  dif- 
ficult for  the  Jewish  believers  to  bring  their  minds  to  disregard 
it ;    and  had  they  disregarded  it,  they  would  have  subjected 


SERMON   XXXIV.  425 

themselves  to  the  charge  of  rebellion  at  once  against  the  state, 
and  against  God.  Hence,  it  seemed  good  to  infinite  wisdom 
to  indulge  them  in  the  observance,  until  the  final  destruction  of 
the  temple,  and  overthrow  and  dispersion  of  the  nation.  Though 
this  observance  was,  doubtless,  with  many  of  them,  in  a  greater 
or  less  degree  superstitious,  and  though  it  was  a  source  of  many 
hurtful  errours ;  yet,  by  the  well  informed,  it  must  have  been 
regarded  as  a  matter  of  convenience  and  toleration  ;  and  by  none, 
who  truly  embraced  the  gospel,  could  it  have  been  held  as  the 
ground  of  their  justification,  and  acceptance  with  God,  unto  eter- 
nal life.     This  was  the  grand  point. 

In  the  view  in  which  the  observance  of  the  ritual  law  was 
then  held  by  the  apostles  and  true  believers  generally,  it  was 
rather  a  matter  of  indifference.  But,  in  tlie  view  in  which  it 
was  held  by  the  false  brethren,  the  Judaizing  teachers,  it  was  a 
fundamental  errour.  These  taught  diat  except  the  Gentiles 
were  circumcised,  and  kept  the  law  of  Moses,  they  could  not  be 
saved.  They  made  the  observance  of  the  law  the  very  ground 
of  justification  and  salvation.  This  went  directly  to  overthrow 
the  gospel,  and  to  subvert  the  faith  of  true  behevers.  For,  ac- 
cording to  this  doctrine,  as  Paul  forcibly  argues  in  his  epistle  to 
the  Galatians,  Christ  was  dead  in  vain.  And  it  was  in  this  view 
of  the  question,  evidently,  that,  when  Titus  went  with  him  to 
Jerusalem,  to  attend  to  the  disputed  question,  he  would  not  con- 
sent that  he  should  be  circumcised.  This  refusal,  he  says  ex- 
pressly, was  because  of  false  brethren  unawares  brought  in,  ivho 
come  in  privily  to  spy  out  our  liberty  lohich  we  have  in  Christ 
Jesus,  that  they  might  bring  us  into  bondage.  They  insisted 
that  Titus  should  be  circumcised,  on  the  principle  that  circum- 
cision was  essential  to  salvation.  But  to  them,  says  the  apostle, 
we  gave  place  by  subjection,  no,  not  for  an  hour.  Though,  as 
afterwards  in  the  case  of  Timothy,  he  would  himself  practise  cir- 
cumcision, when  regarded  as  a  matter  of  expedie,ncy  merely  ; 
yet,  when  regarded  as  the  ground  of  justification,  and  as  essen- 
tial to  salvation,  he  would  oppose  it  v.'ith  the  utnio.'Jt  inflexibililv. 

These  explanations  are  sufllcient,  I  trust,  to  show,  in  a  clear 
light,  the  precise  point  of  the  controver?v  at  Antinrh.  Ir  was  a 
§4 


'U(j  SERMON  XXXIV. 

point  absokUely  fundamental.  The  simple  question  was,  whetl>- 
er  sinful  men  were  to  be  justified  by  the  deeds  of  the  law,  or  by 
the  merits  of  Christ ;  to  be  saved  by  works,  or  by  grace.  This 
question,  after  long  and  strenuous  debate,  it  was  determined  to 
refer  to  the  apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusalem.  Not  that  they 
were  higher  in  inspiration  or  authority  than  Paul ;  for  he  was 
not  a  whit  behind  the  chiefest  of  the  apostles.  But  it  was  from 
them  that  the  false  teachers  professedly  come  ;  and,  according 
to  their  doctrine,  doubtless,  they  pretended  to  preach.  And, 
though  these  false  teachers  would  not  yield  to  Paui-,  who,  as  the 
principal  preacher  to  the  Gentiles,  was  particularly  concerned 
in  the  question,  and  whose  apostolick  character  they  probably 
did  not  acknowledge  ;  it  might  be  supposed  that  they  would 
readily  submit  to  the  judgment  of  the  apostles  of  the  circumci- 
sion. Paul  also  says,  in  the  passage  quoted  from  his  epistle  to 
the  Galatians,  that  he  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  at  this  time,  by 
revelation.  It  was,  therefore,  by  the  express  direction  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  that  the  question  was  carried  for  decision  there. 

Accordingly,  Paul  and  Barnabas,  with  Titus  and  certain 
others,  sat  out ;  and  being  brought  on  their  way  by  the  church, 
they  passed  through  Phenice  and  Samaria,  declaring  the  con- 
version of  the  Gentiles,  by  their  ministry  in  their  late  mission  ; 
and  they  caused  great  joy  unto  all  the  brethren.  And  when  they 
were  come  to  Jerusalem,  they  were  received  of  the  church,  and  of 
the  apostles  and  elders  ;  and  they  declared  all  things  that  God 
had  done  with  them.  Meeting  widi  a  cordial  and  joyful  recep- 
tion, in  the  fulness  of  their  hearts,  they  related  to  their  brethren 
the  glorious  displays  of  divine  grace,  which  had  attended  their 
preaching  among  the  Gentiles.  They  also  related  what  had 
occurred  at  Antioch,  the  controversy  which  had  arisen  there, 
and  the  occasion  of  their  coming  to  Jerusalem.  They  were 
heard  with  attention,  and  by  most  of  the  brethren,  it  would  seem, 
with  full  approbation. 

But  there  rose  up  certain  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  who  be- 
lieved, or  professed  belief  in  the  gospel,  saying.  That  it  was 
needful  to  circumcise  the  Gentile  converts,  and  command  them  to 
keep  the  law  of  Moses.     These,  of  .course,  upheld  the  fals*" 


SERMON  XXXIV.  42T 

teachers,  and  condemned  Paul  and  Barnabas.  In  order,  ilierp- 
fore,  that  the  great  question  might  be  properly  settled,  it  was 
found  necessary  to  have  it  considered  in  a  general  meeting.  1 
say,  a  general  meeting  ;  for  it  should  be  noted,  that  not  only  the 
apostles  and  elders,  but  the  multitude  of  the  brethren  were 
present. 

The  question  was  open  for  free  discussion ;  they  who  op- 
posed themselves  to  Paul  and  Barnabas,  had  fair  opportunity  to 
be  heard  ;  and  the  apostles  reserved  themselves,  until  others  had 
offered  their  opinions  and  arguments.  At  length,  however,  af- 
ter there  had  been  much  disputing,  Peter  rose  up,  and  said  unto 
them.  Men  and  brethren,  ye  know  how  that  a  good  while  ago 
God  made  choice  among  us,  that  the  Gentiles  by  my  month  should 
hear  the  loord  of  the  gospel,  and  believe.  And  God,  which  knoio- 
eth  the  hearts,  bare  them  witness,  giving  them  the  Holy  Ghost, 
even  as  he  did  unto  us  ;  and  put  no  difference  between  us  and 
them,  purifying  their  hearts  by  faith.  JVow  therefore  \vhy  tempt 
ye  God,  to  put  a  yoke  uj)on  the  neck  of  the  disciples,  which  nei- 
ther our  fathers  nor  we  were  able  to  bear  ?  But  we  believe  that, 
through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  shall  be  saved, 
even  as  they.  The  question  was,  whether  men  could  be  justi- 
fied and  saved,  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  without  the  deeds  of  the 
law.  Peter  recurred  directly  to  the  Roman  centurion  and  his 
friends,  at  Cesarea.  They  were  Gentiles,  and  had  never  sub- 
mitted to  the  law  of  Moses.  Yet  to  them,  several  years  before, 
he,  by  the  express  direction  of  God,  had  preached  the  gospel. 
They  believed ;  and  God,  who  knoweth  the  hearts,  bare  them 
witness  of  his  gracious  acceptance  of  them.  Having  purified 
their  hearts  by  faith,  having  purged  their  consciences,  and 
cleansed  their  souls  from  the  guilt  and  pollution  of  sin,  not  by 
any  sacrifices  or  rites  of  the  Mosaick  law,  but  through  the  blood 
of  his  Son,  in  whom  they  believed  ;  he  bestowed  upon  them 
abundant  graces  and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  making  no  difier- 
ence  between  them  and  the  circumcised  believers.  Thus  God 
himself  had  expressly  and  publickly  decided  the  question. 
Why,  then,  says  Peter,  do  ye  tempt  God  ?  Why,  in  opposition 
to  his  expressly  declared  will,  would  ye  pr/^  a  yoke  vpon  ihr 


42S  SERMON   XXXIV. 

neck  of  the  disciples,  which  neither  our  fathers  nor  tve  were  able 
to  bear?  Why  subject  them  to  the  ritual  law,  which  has  been 
found  not  only  expensive  and  burthensome,  but,  in  itself  also, 
utterly  unavailing  as  to  the  purposes  of  salvation  ;  which,  so  far 
from  being  a  ground  of  justification,  only  held  those  who  were 
under  it  in  condemnation  and  bondage,  unless  they  were  led  to 
believe  and  hope  in  the  Messiah,  to  whom  it  constantly  pointed. 
And  besides,  says  Peter,  "  we,  who  observed  the  law,  believe 
that  we  ourselves  shall  be  saved,  not  by  the  deeds  of  the  law, 
but  through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  even  as  the  be- 
lieving Gentiles  will  be." 

After  hearing  this  admirable  speech  of  Peter,  all  the  multi- 
tude of  the  brethren  kept  silence,  and  gave  audience  to  Barna- 
bas and  Paul,  while  they  declared  what  miracles  and  wonders 
God  had  wrought  among  the  Gentiles  by  them.  The  narration 
given  by  them  of  their  late  mission,  of  their  success,  and  of  the 
effusions  and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  Gentiles,  in  differ- 
ent countries,  as  it  showed  that  God  did  accept  the  believing 
Gentiles,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law,  went  directly  to  confirm 
the  argument  delivered  by  Peter. 

When  Paul  and  Barnabas  had  gone  through  their  narrative, 
James,  who  appears  to  have  presided  in  the  meeting,  briefly 
summed  up  the  argument,  and  dehvered  his  opinion.  After  re- 
ferring to  what  Peter  had  related,  how  God  had  visited,  or  look- 
ed down  upon  the  Gentiles,  to  take  out  of  them  a  people  for  his 
name,  he  proceeded  to  show  that  this  was  agreeable  to  ancient 
prediction  and  promise  ;  and  for  this  purpose,  quoted  a  passage 
in  point  from  the  prophecy  of  Amos.  Hence  he  concludes, 
that  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  and  their  justification  unto 
life  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  without  the  observance  of  the  ritual 
law,  was  agreeable  to  tlie  gracious  design  of  God  ;  to  whom  all 
his  works  are  known  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  and  who 
accompUshes  his  purposes  in  his  own  time  and  way.  Wherefore, 
he  says,  my  sentence,  or  judgment,  is,  that  we  trouble  not  them 
which  from  among  the  Gentiles  are  turned  to  God ;  but  that  we 
write  unto  them,  that  they  abstain .  from  pollutions  of  idols,  and 
from  fornication,  and  from  things  strangled,  and  from  blood. 


SERMON  XXXIV.  42.9 

Fornication,  indeed,  is  a  sin  against  the  moral  law  ;  but  as  it 
was  thought  lightly  of  in  the  Gentile  world,  it  was  proper  that 
the  Gentile  christians  should  be  particularly  cautioned  against  it. 
And,  though  neither  things  sacrificed  to  idols,  nor  the  flesh  of 
strangled  animals,  nor  blood,  had  any  moral  evil  in  them,  which 
should  make  the  eating  of  them  absolutely  and  universally  un- 
lawful ;  yet,  as  the  Jews  had  a  particular  aversion  to  them,  the 
Gentile  converts  were  directed  to  abstain  from  them,  that  they 
might  give  no  needless  oftence. 

To  this  judgment,  delivered  by  James,  the  whole  assembly 
consented  ;  and,  to  prevent  dispute  in  regard  to  their  decision, 
they  selected  Judas  and  Silas,  chief  men  among  the  brethren, 
to  accompany  Paul  and  Barnabas  on  their  return  to  Antioch. 
By  them  they  wrote  after  this  manner  ;  The  apostles,  and  elders, 
and  brethren,  send  greeting  unto  the  brethren  luhich  are  of  the 
Gentiles  in  Antioch,  and  Syria,  and  Cilicia  :  For  as  much  as 
we  have  heard  that  certain  which  went  out  from  us  have  troubled 
you  ivith  ivords,  subverting  your  souls,  saying,  Yc  must  be  cir- 
cumcised, and  keep  the  law ;  to  whom  we  gave  no  such  com- 
mandment ;  it  seemed  good  unto  us,  being  assembled  with  one 
accord,  to  send  chosen  men  unto  you,  with  our  beloved  Barnabas 
and  Paul ;  men  that  have  hazarded  their  lives  for  the  name  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  We  have  sent  therefore  Judas  and 
Silas,  who  shall  also  tell  you  the  same  things  by  mouth.  For  it 
seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  us,  to  lay  upon  you  no 
greater  burden  than  these  necessary  things ;  That  ye  abstain 
from  meats  offered  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from  things 
strangled,  and  from  fornication,  from  which  if  ye  keep  yourselves, 
ye  shall  do  well.     Farewell. 

Such,  so  clear  and  solemn  was  the  decision  of  the  great 
question  respecting  justification  and  eternal  salvation.  Having 
fulfilled  their  mission  at  Jerusalem,  Paul  and  Barnabas,  with 
those  who  accompanied  them,  returned  to  ^.^ntioch  ;  and  when 
they  had  gathered  the  multitude  together,  they  delivered  the 
epistle  ;  which,  when  they  had  read,  they  rejoiced  for  the  conso- 
lation. The  minds  of  the  Gentile  christians  were  relieved  and 
settled  :  they  were  confirmed  in  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  and 


'IJO  SERMON   XXXIV. 

established  in  the  hope  of  acceptance  with  God,  and  eternal  hfe 
in  his  kingdom,  through  the  merits  alone  of  Jesus  Christ;  and 
they  were  filled  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 

REFLECTIONS. 

1.  We  are  led  to  reflect  on  the  early  rise  of  errour,  among 
the  professed  behevers  of  the  gospel. 

Human  nature  has  been  the  same  in  all  ages.  It  has  al- 
ways been  true,  that  vain  man  would  he  ivise,  though  man  he 
horn  like  the  ivild  ass^s  colt,  and  would  reluctantly  submit  his 
understanding  to  the  instruction  of  God.  This  being  the  fact, 
and  as  the  apostolick  times  were  to  transmit  instruction  to  the 
people  of  God  in  every  succeeding  period,  it  was  wisely  permit- 
ted that  mistakes,  disputes,  and  divisions,  should  gradually  take 
place,  in  the  primitive  church.  Had  it  not  been  so,  we  might 
not  only  have  been  discouraged  by  the  great  disparity  between 
the  first  christians,  and  those  who  have  hved  since,  but,  for  want 
of  rules  and  precedents  of  sufficient  authority,  we  should  have 
been  continually  at  a  loss  how  to  conduct  ourselves,  in  regard 
to  the  various  difficulties  perpetually  arising,  and  how  to  oppose 
and  confute  the  diversified  errours,  which  have  appeared  and 
been  revived,  during  so  many  centuries.  Divine  wisdom,  there- 
fore, saw  fit  to  suffer  every  false  and  dangerous  notion  by  which 
the  enemy  of  souls  would  at  any  time  attempt  to  corrupt  the 
simphcity  of  the  faith,  to  make  its  first  enti'ance  while  the  apos- 
tles were  still  living,  that  we  might  have  their  instructions  and 
examples  to  guide  us  in  every  emergency.  Strange  as  it  may 
seem,  it  is  nevertheless  true,  that  no  absolutely  new  opinion, 
whether  right  or  wrong,  respecting  the  faith  in  Christ,  has  been 
started,  since  the  close  of  the  scriptural  canon.  The  gospel, 
that  good  and  perfect  gift,  which  came  down  from  the  Father  of 
lights,  has  received  no  amendment  from  the  hands  through  which 
it  has  successively  passed.  On  the  other  hand,  the  grand  deceiv- 
er, at  the  very  beginning,  exerted  all  his  force  against  the  gos- 
pel, and  so  fully  availed  himself  of  all  his  influence  on  the  igno- 
rance and  wickedness  of  men,  that  he  has  since  had  no  new 
•devices  to  essay,  no  untried  resources  in  reserve.   .  Length  of 


SERMON   XXXIV.  431 

time,  indeed,  and  change  of  circumstances,  have  afforded  him 
opportunity  for  placing  his  delusions  in  various  lights,  and  giv- 
ing some  of  his  schemes  a  seeming  strength  and  establishment, 
which  they  had  not  at  first ;  yet,  no  scheme  or  doctrine  can  be 
mentioned,  which  did  not  appear,  though  in  its  infantile  state, 
or  with  less  maturity,  in  the  first  age  of  Christianity.  In  respect 
to  errour,  indeed,  the  proverb  is  most  emphatically  true,  that 
there  is  no  new  thing  under  the  sun.  This  consideration,  while 
it  should  humble  the  pride  of  human  reason,  and  restrain  the 
arrogance  o( philosophy  falsely  so  called,  should  encourage  the 
friends  of  truth,  and  lead  them  more  simply  and  firmly  to  rely,  in 
every  scene  of  their  wai'fare,  on  the  word  and  grace  of  God. 

2,  Opinions  and  practices,  which  in  some  cases  may  be  of 
an  indifferent  and  unconsequential  nature,  may  in  other  cases, 
be  highly  injurious,  and  even  fatal. 

It  was  thus,  in  the  first  age  of  the  gospel,  with  the  observances 
of  the  ritual  law.  In  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  that  law,  even 
after  it  became  null  and  void,  there  was  nothing  in  itself  morally 
wrong.  Tiiey  might,  or  might  not  be  observed,  without  sin. 
Accordingly  the  apostle,  in  the  xivth  of  Romans,  says.  One  he- 
lieveth  that  he  may  eat  all  things  ;  another,  ivho  is  iveak,  eaietli 
herbs.  Let  not  him  that  eateth  despise  him  that  eateth  not ;  and 
let  not  him  which  eateth  not  judge  him  that  eateth  ;  for  God 

hath  received   him One  man  esteemeth  one  day  above 

another ;  another  esteemeth  every  day  alike.  Let  every  man  he 
fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind.  The  apostle  here  refers 
to  meats  and  days,  which  had  been  distinguished  in  the  cere- 
monial law.  As  the  law  itself  was  then  abolished,  the  distinc- 
tion which  it  made  respecting  meats  and  days  was  also  abolish- 
ed. Hence,  meats  which  had  been  ceremonially  unclean,  might 
now  be  eaten,  or  not ;  and  days  which  had  been  ceremonially 
sacred,  might  be  observed,  or  not ;  and  generally,  the  rites  and 
ceremonies  of  the  abrogated  law  might  be  observed,  or  not. 
without  offence. 

Inconsequential  and  indifferent,  however,  as  those  observan- 
ces in  themselves  were  ;  yet  they  miglit  become  most  danger- 
ous and  fatal.     If  they  were   mode  occasions  of  imcharitable 


432  SERMON   XXXI V. 

feelings,  or  conduct;  if  they  were  pressed  in  a  manner  to  pro- 
duce dissensions  among  christians,  and  divisions  and  schisms  in 
the  church  ;  they  were  no  longer  innocent,  or  indifferent.  If 
they  were  held  as  the  essentials  of  religion ;  if  they  were  made 
the  ground  of  justification  with  God ;  they  were  then  of  a  ten- 
dency to  subvert  the  faith,  and  sap  the  foundation  of  the  gospel, 
and  were  most  injurious  and  destructive.  It  was  thus  that  they 
were  held  by  the  false  teachers  at  Antioch,  and  it  was  in  this 
view  of  them,  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  found  it  necessary  to  set 
themselves  so  earnestly  against  them. 

The  same  general  principle  holds  good  to  this  day.  An 
opinion  or  practice  in  itself  indifferent,  or  of  little  consequence, 
may  become  the  source  of  immense  evil.  If  it  be  held  to  the 
prejudice  of  charity,  to  the  interruption  of  christian  fellowship, 
to  the  division  or  disturbance  of  christian  society  ;  it  is  no  lon- 
ger an  innocent  thing.  If  it  be  made  essential  to  religion  ;  if  it 
take  the  place  of  faith  and  the  love  of  God,  it  is  most  criminal, 
most  dangerous,  most  fatal. 

This  consideration  cannot  be  too  seriously  weighed.  It 
infinitely  concerns  all,  who  profess  the  gospel  of  Christ,  faithful- 
ly to  examine  whether  they  do  not  lay  too  much  stress  on  things 
in  themselves  indifferent,  or  of  small  comparative  importance  ; 
whether  they  do  not  like  the  ancient  Pharisees,  tithe  anise,  mint^ 
and  rue,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law ; 
whether  they  are  not  chargeable  with  walking  not  charitably, 
and  of  censuring  and  condemning  their  brethren,  while  in  fact 
they  themselves  are  in  the  fault. 

3.  Real  errours  in  religion  are  not  to  be  regarded  as  matters 
of  indifference,  nor  suffered  to  pass  without  endeavours  for  cor- 
rection. 

It  is  too  much  the  disposition  of  the  present  age  to  regard  re- 
ligious opinions  as  of  litde  consequence  ;  and  it  seems  to  be 
thought,  that  even  those  who  are  set  for  the  defence  of  the  gos- 
pel have  no  right  to  condemn,  or  set  themselves  to  explode,  or 
oppose,  any  doctrine,  or  opinion,  however  erroneous  it  may  be. 
It  was  otherwise,  my  bretliren,  in  the  days  of  the  apostles.  It 
was  then  held  to  be  the  duty,  not  only  of  the  ministers  of  Christ, 


SERMON  XXXIV.  433 

but  of  all  christians,  to  be  steadfast  in  the  truth,  and  to  contend 
earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  Paul  and 
Barnabas  had  no  small  dissension  with  the  Judaizing  teachers  at 
Antioch.  The  question  in  controversy  there  was  carried  up  to 
Jerusalem,  and  made  the  subject  of  very  serious  attention,  by 
the  apostles  and  elders,  and  the  brethren  generally  of  the  church. 
Afterwards,  when  the  same  errour  was  propagated  in  the 
churches  of  Galatia.  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  deemed  it  of 
sufficient  consequence  to  be  refuted  in  a  solemn  apostolick 
epistle. 

*  But,'  you  will  say,  '  this  was  a  great  and  fundamental  er- 
rour.' True.  But,  in  saying  this,  you  acknowledge  that  there 
may  be  great  and  fundamental  errours  in  religion  ;  and  that 
too,  even  among  those  who  profess  a  belief  in  the  gospel,  and 
are  zealous  in  the  profession.  Such  errours,  then,  ought  to  be 
firmly  opposed,  and  faithfully  exploded.  Smaller  errours 
should  be  estimated  only  according  to  their  importance,  and 
treated  only  with  correspondent  attention  ;  but  all  errour  is  in  a 
less  or  greater  degree  evil,  and  should  be  withstood,  and  coun- 
teracted, with  proportionate  zeal  and  exertion. 

4.  Errour  is  to  be  put  down,  and  difficulties  in  churches  are 
to  be  healed,  not  by  human  authority,  but  by  arguments  and 
means  supplied  by  the  word  of  God. 

Paul  and  Barnabas  did  not  exercise  authority  over  the  false 
brethren,  who  troubled  the  church  of  Antioch  ;  they  did  not  re- 
quire them  to  submit  to  assertions,  opinions,  or  judgments,  au- 
thoritatively or  dogmatically  pronounced.  But  they  disputed 
with  them ;  they  reasoned  and  endeavoured  to  show  them  the 
truth,  by  what  God  had  revealed.  At  Jerusalem,  also,  when 
the  question  came  before  the  apostles,  and  elders,  and  brethren 
there,  it  was  open  for  discussion,  and  made  a  subject  of  free 
debate  ;  and  it  was  finally  decided,  not  by  apostolick  or  eccle- 
siastical authority,  but  by  fair  ai'gument  from  the  siu-e  testimony 
of  God.  This  is  particularly  observable  ;  sure,  if  it  could  ever 
be  proper,  in  a  case  of  religious  controversy,  for  any  men,  or 
body  of  men,  to  pronounce  an  authoritative  decision,  it  certain- 
IV  would  have  been  so,  in  this  niemorublo  instance.  Tlie  apos- 
55 


434  SERMON  XXXIV. 

ties  were  the  highest  officers  in  the  church  of  Christ ;  the  elders 
at  Jerusalem  were  eminently  distinguished  in  character  and  in 
gifts  ;  and  the  multitude  of  the  brethren  were  assembled  with 
them  on  the  occasion.  Yet  the  whole  business  was  conducted, 
not  in  the  way  of  authority,  but  of  persuasion.  It  is  observable, 
also,  that  while  the  errour  of  the  Judaizers  was  refuted  and  ex- 
ploded, and  their  conduct  was  disowned  and  disapproved  ; 
yet,  against  them  no  harshness  or  bitterness,  was  shown ;  no 
anathemas,  or  denunciations,  were  uttered. 

Were  the  spirit  which  reigned  throughout  these  proceedings, 
generally  to  prevail  among  the  ministers  and  professors  of  the 
gospel,  how  greatly  would  it  tend  happily  to  prevent  or  to  heal 
controversies  and  difficulties  ;  and  how  greatly  would  it  redound 
to  the  honour  of  Christianity,  to  the  glory  of  its  divine  Author, 
and  to  the  advancement  of  his  cause.  That  zeal  for  the  truth 
of  God,  and  for  the  purity  of  his  church,  which  is  according  to 
knowledge,  and  to  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  is  not,  in  the  least 
incompatible  with  the  most  perfect  candour  and  charity,  or  with 
the  most  amiable  meekness  and  gentleness.  And  since,  in  the 
wisdom  of  God,  things  were  so  ordered  in  the  apostolick  age, 
as  to  afford  occasion  for  instruction  and  example,  suited  to  every 
case  which  might  afterwards  arise  in  the  church  ;  how  much 
better  would  it  be  for  all  ministers  and  christians  sacredly  to 
conform  to  them,  than  to  adopt  rules  and  methods  of  a  differ- 
ent character,  and  of  questionable  expediency  !  How  much 
better,  than  to  put  down  errour,  and  to  silence  controversy,  by 
the  authority  of  great  names,  or  of  high  toned  decisions — by 
violent  denunciations  in  the  unadvised  recommendations  of 
books,  or  in  the  unauthorised  acts  of  clerical  or  ecclesiastical 
bodies  ! 

5.  The  assembly  at  Jerusalem  affords  no  precedent,  or  war- 
rant, for  the  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  of  councils  or  synods. 

A  difficulty  arose  in  the  church  of  Antioch ;  and  it  was  re- 
ferred to  the  apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusalem.  The  reasons  for 
this  reference  are  obvious.  The  false  teachers,  who  raised  the 
difficulty,  came  from  Jerusalem,  and  pretended,  no  doubt,  to  teach 
according  to  the  doctrine  there  held  ;  and  it  was  important  to  be 


SERMON  XXXIV.  435 

fairly  find  distinctly  ascertained,  whether  the  doctrine  held  at 
Jerusalem  were  such  as  they  taught,  or  not.  Besides,  it  was  a 
question  of  great  consequence,  between  Jewish  and  Gentile 
christians ;  a  question,  indeed,  respecting  an  institution  of  God, 
long  and  justly  held  sacred  by  his  people — long  inade  essential 
to  communion  in  the  privileges  of  the  commonwealth  of  Israel. 
Not  only,  then,  was  it  important  that  a  good  understanding 
should  be  had  on  this  subject,  between  the  churches  among  the 
Gentiles,  and  the  church  at  Jerusalem  ;  but,  as  no  institution  of 
God  could  be  set  aside,  without  express  warrant  from  him,  it 
was  absolutely  requisite  that  all,  who  were  concerned  in  the 
question,  should  know  his  will  respecting  it.  Accordingly, 
Paul  and  Barnabas  went  to  Jerusalem,  on  this  occasion,  not 
merely  by  the  appointment  of  the  church  at  Antioch ;  but,  as 
Paul  expressly  assures  us,  by  special  revelation.  As  it  was 
from  Jerusalem  that  the  word  of  God  had  sounded  forth  into 
the  Gentile  world,  it  seemed  good  to  divine  wisdom,  that  the 
repeal  of  tlie  Mosaick  law,  and  the  terms  on  which  Gentile  be- 
lievers were  to  be  admitted  as  fellow  heirs,  and  of  the  same 
body,  and  partakers  of  the  promise  in  Christ  by  the  gospel, 
should  be  solemnly  promulgated  from  the  same  place.  At  Je- 
rusalem, therefore,  in  a  full  convocation  of  the  apostles  and 
elders,  and  the  multitude  of  the  brethren^  the  question  was  con- 
sidered, and  the  will  of  the  Holy  Spirit  declared.  And  the  re- 
sult was  promulgated,  not  in  the  way  of  lordly  authority,  but  of 
brotherly  recommendation.  But  what  do  we  see  in  all  this,  my 
brethren,  of  the  nature  of  ecclesiastical  judicatory  ? 

"  The  churches,  in  these  early  times,"  says  Dr.  Mosheim, 
"  were  entirely  independent,  none  of  them  subject  to  any  foreign 
jurisdiction,  but  each  one  governed  by  its  own  rules,  and  its 
own  laws.  For,  though  the  churches  founded  by  the  apostles 
had  this  particular  deference  shown  them,  that  they  were  con- 
sulted in  difficult  and  doubtful  cases,  yet  they  had  no  juridical 
authority,  no  sort  of  supremacy  over  the  others,  nor  the  least 
right  to  enact  laws  for  them.  Nothing,  on  the  contrary,  is  more 
evident,  than  the  perfect  equality  which  reigned  among  the 
primitive  churches ;   nor  does  there  ever  appear,  in  the  first 


436  SERMON   XXXIV. 

century,  the  smallest  trace  of  that  association  of  provincial 
churches,  from  ivhich  Councils  and  Metropolitans  derived  their 
origin.  Tlie  meeting  of  the  church  of  Jerusalem,  mentioned  in 
the  xvth  of  Acts,  is  commonly  considered  as  the  first  christian 
council ;  but  this  notion  arises  from  a  manifest  abuse  of  the 
word  council." 

With  this  account  of  Mosheim,  not  only  the  apostolick 
writings,  but  the  records  generally  of  the  primitive  times,  fully 
agree  ;  and  with  it,  also,  fully  agree  the  principles  of  our  con- 
gregational churches.  I  pray  God,  that  these  principles  may 
never  be  infringed  or  disregarded,  by  any  ecclesiastical  associa- 
tion whatever  ;  that  they  may  never  be  abandoned  or  compro- 
mised, by  the  churches  which  have  adopted  them ; — that  no 
clerical  body  may  ever  attempt  here  to  clothe  itself  with  the 
attributes  of  an  ecclesiastical  judicatory,  or  with  the  terrors  of 
an  inquisitorial  tribunal ;  that  our  churches  may  never  under- 
value their  divinely  chartered  privileges,  or  seek  a  remedy  for 
any  evils,  either  felt  or  feared,  in  any  establishment  or  form  not 
genuinely  congregational. 

Let  it  not  be  imagined  that  any  thing  is  here  intended  to  the 
reproach  of  any  other  denomination.  Very  far  be  every  thing 
of  this  nature  from  the  preacher.  But,  as  one  who  sincerely 
believes  that  the  principles  of  Congregationalism  are  according 
to  the  gospel,  he  trusts  he  may,  without  offence,  speak  in  their 
behalf. 

It  is  said,  indeed,  that  these  churches  are  in  a  state  of  an- 
archy ;  without  government, — without  discipline, — without  order. 
Nor  is  it  to  be  denied,  that  our  Zion  has  her  waste  places,  and 
her  deplorable  desolations.  But,  were  her  waste  places  of  much 
greater  extent,  and  her  desolations  much  more  deplorable,  still 
should  her  children  take  pleasure  in  her  stones,  and  favour  her 
very  dust. 

It  is  not,  however,  to  be  admitted  that,  because  we  have  no 
splendid  hierarchy,  and  no  ecclesiastical  establishment  of  impos- 
ing aspect,  our  churches  are  ivithoxit  form  and  void  ;  nor  that, 
because  some  of  them  have  left  their  first  love,  and  sunk  into  a 
state  of  laxity  and  corruption,  the  glory  is  departed  from  them  all. 


SERMON  XXXIV.  437 

The  constitution  of  the  primitive  churches  was  simple  ;  yet  these 
churches  had  the  most  excellent  spirit  of  life,  and  beauty  of 
form  ;  and,  amidst  all  the  evils  which  we  deplore,  wc  might  be 
warranted  in  affirming,  that  there  are,  among  congregational 
churches  in  Massachusetts,  not  a  few,  which  do  not  yield,  in 
point  of  primitive  form,  spirit,  or  disciphne,  to  any  churches  in 
our  land.  Probably,  in  no  part  of  our  land  is  the  spirit  of  in- 
quiry more  free,  or  more  active ;  or  the  triumphs  of  truth  over 
errour  more  signal,  or  more  honourable  to  the  gospel.  These 
triumphs  are  extending,  and  the  consummation  will  be  glorious. 

There  are  forms  of  church  government,  there  are  ecclesias- 
tical estabHshments,  which  might  be  maintained  with  a  very 
sightly  exteriour,  though  the  spirit  of  the  gospel  should  be  nearly 
extinct.  Not  such  is  the  congregational  form.  This,  like  a  re- 
publican government,  can  be  supported  only  by  virtue  ;  and  in 
proportion  as  virtue,  true  christian  virtue,  declines,  it  will  show 
marks  of  decay,  of  imbecility,  of  tendency  to  dissolution.  But^ 
shall  we  therefore  do,  as  the  people  of  political  republicks  have 
often  done  .'*  Shall  we  attempt  to  remedy  the  evils  arising  from 
a  defect  of  virtue,  by  adopting  some  other  and  stronger  form  of 
government  ? 

My  brethren,  a  more  excellent  way  is  obvious.  Instead  of 
admitting,  too  readily,  that  our  principles  of  church  government 
are  radically  defective,  let  us  make  ourselves  more  intimately 
acquainted  with  these  principles,  and  bring  them  into  more  uni- 
form and  vigorous  action.  Instead  of  casting  our  eyes  abroad^ 
in  search  of  a  remedy  for  existing  evils  ;  let  us  faithfully  look  at 
home,  and  use  the  remedies  which  the  word  of  God  supplies. 
Instead  of  seeking  for  an  ecclesiastical  establishment  of  impos- 
ing exteriour,  and  compulsive  energy  ;  let  us  labour,  by  all 
scriptural  means,  for  the  increase  of  pure  and  undefiled  religion  ; 
for  the  promotion  of  sound  faith,  of  true  charity,  of  internal  dis- 
cipline and  purity. 

The  vital  principle  of  true  church  government  is  the  spirit  of 
holy  love,  of  genuine  christian  fellowship.  Let  this  spirit  pre- 
vail, and  our  congregational  form  will  be  found  amply  adequate 
to  every  legitimate  purpose.     Let  this  spirit  prevail,  and  our  in- 


438  SERMON   XXXIV. 

ternal  discipline  will  be  easy  and  effective,  our  external  ordev 
will  be  unembarrassed  and  irreproachable,  the  faithful  word  of 
the  gospel  will  be  held  forth  in  its  native  purity  and  effulgence, 
and  our  churches  will  become  beautiful  as  Tirzah,  comely  as 
Jerusalem,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners. 

6.  How  astonishing  it  is  that  there  should  still  be,  in  the 
christian  world,  any  dispute,  or  doubt,  respecting  the  way  of 
justification  with  God. 

This,  indeed,  is  the  point  which  was  first  drawn  into  debate, 
among  the  professed  believers  in  the  gospel ;  and  this  is  the 
point,  which  was  decided  with  so  much  solemnity  at  Jerusalem. 
After  that  decision,  it  might  have  been  expected,  that  the  notion 
of  justification  6?/ ^Ae  deeds  of  the  law;  or  otherwise  than  by 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  would  never  again  be  espoused,  by  any 
who  should  call  themselves  christians.  This  errour,  however, 
was  not  to  be  so  easily  subdued.  Notwithstanding  this  blow,  it 
soon  revived,  spread  itself  with  great  activity,  and  infested  the 
churches  in  every  land.  The  epistle  to  the  Galatians  was  writ- 
ten expressly  against  this  errour ;  yet  it  still  lived  and  flourished ; 
and  it  has  lived  and  flourished  in  all  succeeding  times.  It  lives 
and  flourishes  in  the  present  age,  and  is  the  prolifick  parent  of 
most  of  the  errours  in  the  christian  world. — Why  is  it  so  ? — It  is 
because  this  errour  is  deeply  rooted  in  the  native  pride  of  the 
human  heart.  So  long  as  pride  reigns  in  them,  men  will  not 
submit  themselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God  ;  but  will  go  about, 
in  some  way  or  other,  to  establish  their  own  righteousness. 
Hence  the  prevalence  of  the  errour,  in  all  its  various  forms  and 
branches,  which  opposes  itself  to  the  great  evangelical  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith  alone  ;  of  pardon  and  salvation,  by  the 
sovereign  grace  of  God,  through  the  atoning  blood  of  his  Fellow, 
his  Son. — My  hearers,  the  pride  of  our  hearts  must  be  subdued  ; 
it  must  yield  to  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  ;  or  we  shall 
stumble  at  the  stumbling  stone,  which  God  has  laid  in  Zion,  un- 
til we  fall  to  rise  no  more. 

It  behooves  Ministers  of  the  gospel,  then,  to  beware  that  they 
never  attempt  to  frustrate  the  grace  of  God,  and  to  determine 
not  to  know  any  thing,  in  their  preaching,  save  Jesus  Christ,  and 


SERMON  XXXIV.  431^ 

him  crucified  ;  any  thing,  but  that  doctiine  which,  though  to  the 
Jews  a  stumbling  block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness,  is  yet,  to 
every  one  that  believeth,  the  power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of 
God. — Christians  should  stand  fast  in  the  liberty  loherewith 
Christ  hath  made  them  free,  and  never  allow  themselves  to  be 
entangled  in  the  yoke  of  bondage.  They  should  guard,  most 
carefully,  against  abusing  the  grace  of  God,  by  which  they  arc 
saved  ;  but,  humbly  rejoicing  for  the  consolation  which  it  affords 
them,  they  should  give  the  most  earnest  heed,  that  tliey  mav 
walk  worthy  of  him  who  hath  called  them  unto  glory  and  virtue. 
Let  sinners,  also,  remember,  that,  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  shall 
no  flesh  living  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God ;  and  let  them 
cease  from  the  desperate  attempt  to  establish  their  own  right- 
eousness, tenderly  submit  themselves  to  the  grace  of  God,  which 
bringeth  salvation,  and  lay  hold  on  the  hope  which  is  set  before 
them. 


SERMON   XXXV. 


IMPORTANCE    OF    EARLY    RELIGION. 


»©« 


1  Kings  xviir.  12. 
But  I  thy  servant  fear  the  Lord  from  my  youth. 

X  HERE  is  a  propensity  in  mankind,  than  which  there  is 
scarcely  any  other  more  universally  observable,  to  put  off,  from 
time  to  time,  the  concerns  of  religion,  to  a  more  convenient 
season.  This  propensity  pleads  the  most  powerfully,  and  per- 
haps with  the  most  plausible  pretexts,  with  persons  in  the  early 
season  of  life.  As  they  are  yet  young,  they  count  upon  many 
days  and  years  in  the  world  ;  and  they  flatter  themselves,  that 
they  may  very  well  put  off  religion,  until  at  least  the  gay  and 
sprightly  season  of  youth  be  past. 

But,  general  and  strong  as  this  propensity  has  ever  been,  the 
Lord  has  never  left  himself  without  witness,  even  among  the 
young  ;  but  has  had,  in  every  age  of  the  world,  some  precious 
individuals,  who  have  early  devoted  themselves  to  his  service. 

In  the  midst  of  abounding  and  wide  spreading  defection  and 
wickedness,  Obadiah  was  found  righteous  and  faithful  before 
God.  He  lived  in  a  very  degenerate  age,  in  the  days  of  Ahab 
and  Jezebel,  when  the  children  of  Israel  openly  apostatized 
from  the  Lord,  threw  down  his  altars,  slew  his  prophets,  and 
filled  the  whole  land  with  the  most  flagrant  abominations.  He 
was  a  person  of  fortune  and  of  rank.     He  moved  in  the  higher 


SERMON   XXXV.  441 

circles,  and  iield  a  distinguished  place  in  the  couit  of  Ahab. 
But,  notwitiistanding  the  awful  degeneracy  of  the  times ;  not- 
withstanding the  fashionable  irreligion  and  dissoluteness  of  man- 
ners, to  the  contagion  of  which  he  was  exposed  ;  notwithstand- 
ing his  distinguished  rank,  his  alluring  situation,  and  the  strong 
temptations  with  which  he  was  surrounded  ;  yet  he  had  the 
divine  testimony  in  his  favoui',  that  he  feared  the  Lord  greathj. 
He  was  eminently  pious,  and  devoted  to  the  service  of  God. 

The  words  of  my  text  were  addressed,  by  Obadiah  himself, 
to  Elijah  the  prophet ;  and  if  you  read  the  interesting  piece  of 
sacred  history,  with  which  they  are  connected,  you  cannot  fail 
to  perceive,  that  the  occasion  was  such  as  fully  to  acquit  him  of 
ostentation,  or  impropriety,  in  this  declaration  of  his  own  early 
piety.     But  I  thy  servant  fear  the  Lord  from  my  youth. 

To  fear  the  Lord,  in  the  scripture  sense  of  the  phrase,  is  to 
be  devoted  to  the  service  of  God,  in  a  life  of  true  religion. 
And,  in  view  of  the  example  now  before  us,  I  shall  take  occa- 
sion, in  this  discourse,  to  call  the  attention  of  the  young  people 
of  this  assembly  to  some  important  considerations,  as  motives  to 
early  piety,  or  an  early  devotedness  to  the  service  of  God.  My 
young  friends,  the  considerations,  which  I  am  about  to  offer  to 
your  minds,  are  of  infinite  weight ;  they  will  be  offered  with  the 
most  affectionate  concern  for  your  highest  good ;  and  they  will 
have  an  effect  upon  you,  either  happy  or  unhappy,  through  all 
the  periods  of  your  future  existence.  May  I  not,  then,  depend 
on  your  most  serious  and  dutiful  attention  .'' 

However  unwelcome  to  your  minds  the  truth  may  be,  my 
young  friends,  it  is  nevertheless  a  truth,  which  it  behooves  you 
never  to  forget,  tliat  you  are  sinners ;  and,  unless  you  repent, 
and  obtain  pardon,  must  endure  the  displeasure  of  God  for  a 
miserable  eternity.  By  nature^  like  the  rest  of  our  fallen  race, 
you  are  children  of  disobedience  ;  and,  therefore,  children  of 
wrath.  If  not  the  subjects  of  true  repentance,  you  live  v.ithout 
God  in  the  world,  are  spending  your  days  in  vanity,  and  ruining 
your  immortal  souls.  But  the  Lord  our  God  is  gracious,  long- 
suffering,   and  plenteous  in  goodness   and  in  mercy.     Through 

the  blood  of  his  own  Son.  who  died  uiion  t!)c  bill  nf  r-dlvarv  foi- 
5f)  ' 


MJ  SERMOiV  XXXV. 

the  raasom  ol  many,  he  graciously  offers  you  pardou  and  eternal 
peace.  He  is  calling  after  you  every  day,  rennnding  you  of 
yop.r  duty,  representing  to  you  the  folly  and  madness  of  your 
conduct,  in  departing  from  him,  warning  you  of  tlie  certain  and 
tremendous  ruin  before  you,  and  pressing  you,  by  every  cogent 
and  persuasive  motive,  to  repent  and  return  to  him.  IVly  pres- 
ent object  is  to  impress  upon  your  minds  the  reasonableness  and 
importance  of  immediately  hearkening  to  his  gracious  calls ;  to 
persuade  you,  if  possible,  to  remember  your  Creator  in  the  days 
of  your  youth,  truly  to  humble  yourselves  before  him  for  your 
sins,  penitently  to  turn  from  all  your  vanities,  and  from  all  your 
evil  ways,  and  to  accept  the  mercy  which  he  offers  you,  through 
his  Son  Jesus  Christ ;  in  a  word,  to  give  him  your  hearts,  your 
supreme  affections,  and  devote  yourselves  to  his  service,  in  a 
course  of  dutiful  obedience  to  his  holy  requirements.  Surely, 
my  young  friends,  a  bare  statement  of  what  I  would  now  urge 
upon  you  must  carry  conviction  to  your  minds,  that  it  is  both 
reasonable  and  important.  But  the  reasonableness  and  impor- 
tance of  it  may  appear  in  a  still  stronger  and  more  impressive 
light,  in  view  of  the  considerations  which  are  now  to  be  offered. 

I.  God  has  sovereign  claims  upon  you,  as  your  Creator,  your 
Preserver,  and  the  Fountain  of  all  your  mercies   and  blessings. 

You  are  God's  creatures,  and  all  that  you  have  you  receive 
from  him.  He  made  your  bodies  and  your  souls  ;  and  in  him 
you  live,  and  move,  and  have  your  being.  You  are  his  in  the 
most  absolute  sense  ;  for  he  made  you  for  himself,  for  his  own 
pleasure  and  glory.  You  are  dependent  on  him,  not  only  for 
your  existence,  for  the  endowments  of  your  natures,  and  for 
your  continuance  in  being  from  day  to  day  ;  but,  for  all  that  you 
do,  and  for  all  that  you  have.  You  cannot  move  a  limb,  you 
<^unnot  draw  a  breath,  you  cannot  have  a  thought,  or  a  v^olition, 
without  him.  The  power  by  which  you  are  enabled  to  act  and 
to  think  is  God's  ;  the  earth,  on  which  you  tread  is  God's  ;  the 
air  which  you  breathe  is  God's  ;  the  food  by  which  you  are  sus- 
tained is  Cod's;  the  sun  which  shines  around  you,  the  moon 
and  die  stars,  and  the  whole  survey  of  nature,  by  which  you  are 
cheered   and   delighted,  are   God's.     Every   tliina;  around  and 


SERMON   XXXV.  443 

within  vou  is  God's.  For  all  things,  therefore,  you  are  drpcnd- 
eni  on  God.  He  gives  you  all  things  richly  to  enjoy,  and  to 
improve  for  him. — Is  it  not  reasonable,  then,  is  it  not  important, 
that  you  should  remember  God,  and  devote  yourselves  to  his 
service,  even  in  the  days  of  your  youth  .'*  Can  you  be  too  young 
for  this  ?  Are  you  too  young  to  break  off  your  sins  by  righteous- 
ness, to  hearken  to  the  Saviour  who  died  for  you,  and  to  love 
and  serve  the  God  who  made  you,  and  to  whose  kindness  you 
are  indebted  for  all  that  you  enjoy  .''  You  have  youthful  spright- 
liness,  spirits  and  vigour.  But  did  you  not  certainly  receive 
even  these  from  God  ;  and  will  you  not,  then,  immediately  con- 
secrate them  to  his  service  and  praise  ? 

II.  God,  in  himself,  is  worthy  of  all  your  love,  and  alt  your 
service. 

God  is  a  being  of  unlimited  perfection.  He  is  infinitely 
good  ;  the  consummation  of  all  excellence  and  loveliness.  His 
requirements,  too,  are  all  perfectly  right; — holy,  just,  and  good. 
Angels,  the  most  exalted  of  created  beings,  adore  their  Creator, 
who  is  also  your  Creator,  as  worthy  of  their  highest  love,  their 
best  service,  their  entire  devotion.  And  if  God  is  infinite  in  all 
perfection,  and  worthy  of  the  entire  homage  and  service  of  an- 
gels, and  all  the  exalted  ranks  of  holy  beings,  who  surround  the 
throne  of  his  glory  in  the  heavens,  is  he  not  worthy  of  your  love, 
your  homage,  your  service  .''  Is  there  another  being  in  the  uni- 
verse more  worthy  .'' — Wliile  you  live  w'ithout  religion,  without 
God  in  the  world,  you  live  in  the  service  of  Satan.  You  are  his 
bond  slaves,  led  captive  by  him  at  his  will.  But  is  Satan  more 
worthy  of  your  service  than  God  ?  Will  you  prefer  the  service 
of  the  worst,  the  most  malignant  being  in  the  universe,  to  the 
service  of  the  best,  the  most  benevolent,  tlie  most  glorious .''  If 
not,  then  repent  immediately,  and  turn  unto  the  Lord  your  God, 
with  all  your  hearts,  and  with  all  your  souls. 

III.  Early  repentance  and  religion  would  eminently  conduce 
to  your  happiness. 

It  is  only  in  religion,  it  is  only  in  the  love  and  service  of 
God,  that  true  happiness  is  to  be  found.  Does  this  seem  to  any 
of  you  incredible .''  Have  you  been  accustomed  to  think  a  life  of 


444  SERiAION  XXXV. 

religion  a  clieerless  nnd  comfortless  life  f — Tlic  thought,  be  as- 
sured, is  most  false  and  delusive.  Is  it  to  be  supposed  that  a 
dependent  being  can  be  less  happy,  in  a  state  of  peace  and 
friendship  with  his  infinitely  benevolent  and  glorious  Creator, 
than  in  a  state  of  rebellion  against  him,  and  under  his  displeas- 
ure ?  Do  you  believe  the  angels  of  light  to  be  less  happy  than 
the  demons  of  darkness  ?  How,  then,  can  you  suppose  saints  to 
be  less  happy  than  sinners  ?  Or  how  can  you  suppose  a  life  of 
true  religion  to  be  less  happy  than  a  life  of  ungodliness  ? 

Believe  me,  dear  youth,  the  serious  and  devout  christian  ha? 
more  solid  happiness  in  a  single  hour  of  sensible  communion 
■with  God,  and  consecration  to  his  service,  than  you  can  enjoy 
In  an  age  of  v.-orldly  and  sensual  pleasure.  He  finds,  what  can 
never  be  found  in  the  objects  of  the  world,  a  substantial  and 
satisfying  good.  He  enjoys,  in  a  degree,  the  same  kind  of  hap- 
piness which  constitutes  the  blessedness  of  heaven.  He  feels 
an  elevation  of  soul,  which  the  world  can  never  inspire,  and  par- 
takes oijoys  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. — Verily,  the  ways  of 
wisdom  are  ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace. — 
If  you  are  terrified  with  the  thought  of  becoming  religious,  lest 
it  should  deprive  you  of  happiness  ;  why  are  you  not  terrified 
at  the  thought  of  going  to  heaven,  where  all  are  religious,  and 
religion  is  the  constant  business  ?  Or,  if  you  believe  heaven  to 
be  a  place  of  happiness,  why  will  you  not  beheve  that  a  life  of 
religion,  even  in  this  world,  is  a  happy  Hfe  ? 

While  destitute  of  religion,  you  cannot  be  happy  ;  you  are 
continually  like  the  troubled  sea,  tohen  it  cannot  rest.  You  are 
restless,  and  in  continual  fluctuation.  You  are  flying  from  ob- 
ject to  object,  and  from  scene  to  scene,  in  pursuit  of  happiness ; 
but  to  true  happiness  you  never  attain.  You  are  disquieted 
still.  Religion,  my  young  friends,  would  relieve  you  from  this 
disquietude,  and  bring  you  to  rest  on  the  rock  of  eternal  salva- 
tion and  peace.  Rehgion  would  sweetly  control  the  restless 
passions  of  your  souls,  assuage  the  fervour  of  appetite  and  sense, 
open  to  you  sources  of  delight,  of  which,  while  destitute  of  re- 
ligion, you  can  have  no  conception,  and  bring  serenity,  and 
peace,  and  joy  to  your  minds.     Those   moral   restraints,  those 


SERMON  XXXV.  44r. 

duties,  and  self-denials,  which  arc  now  so  discordant  with  all 
your  inclinations  and  feelings,  religion  would  render  easy, 
agreeable,  and  pleasant.  Were  you  truly  pious,  the  thoughts  of 
God  and  eternity,  instead  of  oppressing  your  spirits  with  a  dis- 
mal gloom,  and  filling  your  minds  with  horrour,  would  raise  your 
spirits  to  the  noblest  elevation,  and  fill  your  minds  with  the 
purest  delight.  Religion  would  secure  you  from  those  excesses, 
those  vices  and  follies,  those  flagrant  departures  from  rectitude 
and  prudence,  to  which  thoughtless  youth  are  so  much  exposed, 
in  this  evil  and  ensnaring  world,  which  are  often  attended  with 
the  most  painful  mortifications  and  embarrassments,  and  which 
are  always  bitterness  in  the  latter  end ;  and  would  kindly  con- 
duct you  along,  in  the  narrow,  but  pleasant  path  of  wisdom  and 
safety.  Religion  would  prepare  you  for  all  the  vicissitudes  of 
the  present  life,  and  for  all  the  scenes  of  your  future  existence. 
It  would  prepare  you  to  enjoy  prosperity  with  sobriety  and 
thankfulness,  and  to  endure  adversity  with  resignation  and  hope. 
It  would  prepare  you  to  lie  down  with  contentment  on  the  bed 
of  sickness,  to  meet,  without  dismay,  the  messenger  of  death,  to 
bid  a  peaceful  and  smiling  adieu  to  all  the  objects  and  scenes  of 
this  transitory  state,  and  to  enter,  under  the  conduct  of  angels, 
within  the  gates  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  there  to  enjoy  the 
perfection  of  blessedness  forever. 

IV.  Religion  would  render  you  more  useful  in  the  present 
world,  and  fit  you  for  higher  scenes  of  action  in  the  world  to 
come. 

One  sinner  destroyeth  much  good.  One  vicious  youth  by  his 
wicked  practices,  by  his  evil  communications,  by  his  perniciour- 
example  and  influence,  may  disturb  the  peace,  and  destroy  the 
happiness,  of  his  family  and  connections,  may  occasion  endless 
molestation  and  trouble  in  society,  may  spread  the  balcfid  conta- 
gion of  vice  extensively  around  him,  and  may  hurry  multitudes  of 
thoughtless  and  deluded  wretches  down,  with  himsclf^into  the  gulf 
of  eternal  perdition.  One  righteous  person  may  be  of  incalcula- 
ble use  in  the  world.  One  truly  pious  youth,  by  his  good  con- 
versation and  deportment,  by  his  salutary  example  and  influence, 
may  greatly  promote  the  happinrc<  of  his  family  nnd  immediate 


416  SERMON  XXXV. 

connections,  mny  render  immense  benefit  to  individuals  and  to 
society,  may  spread  the  benignant  efl'ects  of  active  goodness 
extensively  around  liim,  and  may  be  instrumental  of  checking 
the  progress  of  vice,  of  errour,  and  of  ungodliness,  of  promot- 
ing tiie  cause  of  virtue,  of  truth,  and  religion,  of  turning  many 
from  the  errour  of  their  ways  unto  the  wisdom  of  the  just,  and 
of  leading  them  on,  with  himself,  in  the  way  of  immortal  glory. 
Delightful  thought ! 

Your  usefulness  in  life,  my  young  friends,  depends  upon 
your  characters.  Religion  would  impart  to  your  characters  a 
stability,  a  consistency,  a  dignity,  a  sterling  excellency  and 
worth,  which  would  be  of  immense  utility  to  yourselves,  to  your 
connections,  to  society  in  the  world,  and  to  the  church  of  God, 
to  which,  without  religion,  you  can  never  attain.  Bad  as  the 
world  is,  it  is  constrained  to  do  homage  to  active  goodness  and 
virtue  ;  and  the  man  of  unfeigned  religion,  the  man  who  ap- 
pears and  acts  in  character,  as  the  servant  and  friend  of  God, 
will  always  command  respect,  and  will  always  be  useful  in  the 
world.  Look  at  young  Joseph  in  Egypt;  look  at  young  Dan- 
iel, and  his  three  young  companions,  in  Babylon  ;  look  at  young 
Obadiah,  in  the  land  of  Israel,  in  the  degenerate  days  of  Ahab. 
What  excellency,  what  sublimity  of  character  !  What  extensive 
and  lasting  usefidness  !  These,  my  young  friends,  were  all  per- 
sons of  early  piety  ;  and  it  was  their  early  piety,  it  was  their 
religion,  which  rendered  them  thus  excellent  in  their  characters, 
and  thus  useful  in  their  generations. 

Religion,  my  young  friends,  would  be  your  best,  if  not  your 
only  security,  against  those  enormities  and  excesses,  those  ir- 
regularities and  vices,  by  which  the  characters  of  many  young 
persons  are  ruined,  and  by  which  a  baleful  contagion  is  exten- 
sively communicated.  It  would  lead  you  to  be  regular  in  your 
lives,  and  industrious  in  your  several  occupations.  It  would 
preserve  you  from  that  vain  conceit,  that  untowardness  of  dis- 
position, and  that  impetuosity  of  passion,  which  despise  the  in- 
structions of  wisdom,  and  the  coimsels  of  experience,  and  arc 
too  often  the  occasion  of  innumerable  evils.  In  a  word,  it 
■"ould  give  you  a  disposition,  and  place  you  in  a  situation,  to  be 


SERMON   XXXV.  447 

useful  lo  yourselves,  to  your  connections,  to  the  church,  and  to 
society  tit  large.  The  righteous  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and 
the  light  of  the  world.  On  those  who  fear  God,  and  devote 
themselves  to  his  service  in  their  youth,  the  hopes  of  the  church 
arc  placed,  and  the  welfare  of  future  generations  depends. 

V.  Another  consideration  which  ought  to  sink  deeply  into 
your  hearts,  is  this  ;  you  live,  from  day  to  day,  on  the  mere 
sufferance  and  mercy  of  God,  exercised  only  through  the  cru- 
cified Redeemer. 

While  you  live  without  religion,  you  live  in  sin,  and  are 
constantly  exposed  to  everlasting  destruction.  It  is  of  the 
LorcPs  mercies  that  you  are  not  consumed;  it  is  because  his  com- 
passions fail  not.  And  it  is  a  consideration  which  ought  most 
tenderly  to  affect  you,  that  the  long-sufferance  and  mercy  of 
God,  by  which  you  are  preserved  from  everlasting  burnings,  is 
-exercised  only  through  the  gracious  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ, 
your  compassionate  Redeemer.  Christ  has  died  for  sinners  ; 
he  has  died,  dear  youth,  for  you  ;  and  were  it  not  for  his  gra- 
cious mediation,  you  could  have  no  reprieve,  no  respite — no, 
not  a  moment,  in  this  state  of  probation,  as  prisoners  of  hope. 
Every  circumstance  of  your  present  condition,  which  renders  it 
more  comfortable  than  a  state  of  hopeless  misery,  is  obtained 
for  you  by  the  kind  mediation  of  Christ  your  Redeemer. 
Ev^ery  moment  of  your  probationary  time,  your  space  for  re- 
pentance ;  every  comfort,  every  privilege  which  you  enjoy  in 
life,  was  purchased  for  you  with  his  precious  blood.  Yes,  my 
young  friends,  let  it  never  be  forgotten,  let  the  impression  of  it 
never  be  effaced  from  your  minds,  you  live  on  the  mere  for- 
bearance and  mercy  of  God,  purchased  for  you  at  the  infmite 
price  of  the  blood  of  his  own  Son  !  And  this  respite  from  wo, 
which  you  now  enjoy,  was  thus  purchased  for  you,  for  the  ex- 
press purpose,  that  you  might  have  an  opportunity  to  repent 
and  devote  yourselves  to  the  service  of  him,  who  has  shown 
you  such  infinite  love.  Will  you  not,  then,  improve  the  pre- 
cious season  for  this  important  purpose  .''  Will  you  live  on  the 
mere  sufferance  of  God,  and  despise  his  goodness  ?  Will  you 
nngratefidly  and  wickedly  squander  away  tlio  short  term  of  vour 


448  SERMON   XXXV. 

probation,  wiiich  the  benevolent  Redeemer  has  so  dearly  pur- 
chased lor  you,  and  on  the  improvement  of  which  your  condi- 
tion for  eternity  is  suspended  ?  In  this  affecting  view  of  the 
subject,  does  it  not  appear  at  once,  most  reasonable,  and  most 
important,  that  your  earliest  days,  and  every  moment  of  your 
time,  should  be  sacredly  devoted  to  the  service  of  your  God  and 
Redeemer  ? — I  add, 

VI.  That,  for  those  who  are  young,  as  well  as  for  those 
more  advanced  in  years,  to  live  without  religion,  and  without 
God  in  the  loorJd,  is  attended  with  infinite  hazard,  and  infinite 
guilt. 

The  season  of  youth  is  unquestionably  the  most  favourable 
season  you  will  ever  have  for  beginning  in  the  great  business  of 
religion.  In  this  season,  your  minds  are  comparatively  tender, 
and  susceptible  of  impression.  You  are  less  encumbered  with 
the  cares  of  the  world,  and  less  under  the  influence  of  the  mam- 
mon of  unrighteousness,  which  so  generally  and  so  fatally  blinds 
the  minds  of  men,  and  stifles  in  them  all  sense  of  every  thing 
pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of  God.  At  this  season,  also,  you 
arc  less  under  the  influence  of  long  established  habits  of  wick- 
edness, which,  as  strong  and  indissoluble  cords,  bind  men  over 
to  the  ways  of  eternal  death.  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his 
skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots  9  Then  may  he  also  loho  is  ac- 
customed  to  do  evil,  learn  to  do  well. 

It  is  agreeable  to  the  experience  and  observation  of  the 
church,  for  successive  generations,  that  by  far  the  greater  part 
of  those,  who  ever  become  distinguished  for  their  religion,  fear 
the  Lord  from  their  youth,  or  become  the  subjects  of  repent- 
ance, and  devote  themselves  to  the  service  of  God,  in  the  early 
periods  of  life.  How  can  you  flatter  yourselves,  my  young 
friends,  that  after  you  have  sinned  away  the  favourable  season 
of  youth,  after  you  have  spent  your  best  and  brightest  days  in 
the  service  of  Satan,  and  in  disobedience  to  God,  after  you 
have  long  accustomed  yourselves  to  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  all 
the  solemn  and  gracious  calls  of  the  gospel,  and  to  steel  your 
hearts  against  the  kindly  influences  of  the  divine  Spirit,  after 
you  have  become   more  eagerly  engaged  in  the  bustle  of  life, 


SERMON  XXXV.  449 

and  the  cords  of  your  sins,  the  bonds  which  liold  you  to  the 
world,  are  made  strong  ; — how  can  you  flatter  yourselves  that, 
after  all  this,  you  will  find  a  more  favourable  opportunity,  «  more 
convenient  season,  to  turn  directly  about,  and  begin  a  life  of  re- 
ligion, than  you  now  have  ?  How  preposterous,  how  delusive, 
were  such  self-flattery  !  Even  did  you  know,  that  you  might, 
when  old,  find  a  place  for  repentance,  and  make  your  peace 
with  God,  would  it  not  be  exceedingly  unreasonable,  unwise, 
and  criminal,  to  live  in  sin,  in  contempt  of  the  God  who  made 
you,  in  abuse  of  his  goodness  and  mercy,  ungratefully  trampling 
on  the  blood  of  his  Son,  which  was  shed  for  your  redemption, 
until  your  best  days  are  gone,  until  the  season  for  your  enjoyment 
and  usefulness  in  the  world  is  past,  and  you  have  only,  as  it  were, 
the  dregs  of  life  to  devote  to  the  service  of  your  Redeemer,  and 
to  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom.  Can  you  endure  the 
thought  of  acting  a  part  so  unreasonable  and  ungrateful  ?  Can 
you  endure  the  thought  of  spending  your  days  in  vanity  and  sin, 
until  it  shall  become  too  late  for  you  to  do  any  considerable 
good  in  the  world.''  Can  you  endure  the  thought  of  thus  ungrate- 
fully requiting  the  God  who  made  you,  and  the  Lord  who 
bought  you  ? 

But,  there  is  no  ground  on  which  you  can  rest  with  any  rea- 
sonable confidence,  in  the  expectation  of  becoming  religious, 
making  your  peace  with  God,  and  preparing  for  a  happy  eterni- 
ty, after  you  have  grown  into  years.  You  have  no  assurance  of 
your  fives,  not  even  for  a  year,  or  for  a  day.  How  many,  who 
came  into  the  world  about  the  same  time  with  yourselves,  and 
even  still  later,  are  already  gone  to  their  long  home  r  How  many 
of  your  young  acquaintances,  whose  prospects  for  life  were  as 
fair  and  as  flattering  as  yours,  have  finished  their  days  on  earth, 
and  entered  upon  their  state  of  eternal  retribution  ?  God  only 
knows  how  soon  you  may  be  called  to  follow  them.  But,  should 
your  lives  be  prolonged,  even  to  old  age,  what  gssurance  can 
you  give,  that,  if  you  neglect  the  season  of  youth,  you  will  after- 
wards repent,  and  become  the  true  friends  and  children  of  God  ? 
Are  you  not  exposed  to  ten  thousand  temptations  and  snares.'* 
Are  not  your  hearts  deceitful  above  all  t,'ilii2;s,  and  desperately 
57 


450  SERMOiN    XXXV. 

wicked  ?  Are  you  not  in  danger  of  falling  a  prey  lo  the  great  ad- 
versary, who,  as  a  roaring  lion,  goeth  ahout,  seeking  whom  he 
may  devour  ?  Are  you  not  liable  to  fall  into  the  snares  of  those, 
who  lie  in  wait,  with  sleight  and  cunning  craftiness,  to  deceive  ? 
How  many  a  hopeful  youth  is  carried  away  as  with  a  flood,  and 
utterly  lost  in  the  pollutions  of  the  world  ?  How  many,  in  the 
early  periods  of  life,  are  turned  aside  from  the  truth,  to  follow 
after  errour  and  delusions,  to  their  eternal  destruction  !  And 
how  many  there  are  who,  though  preserved  from  the  excesses 
of  vice,  and  the  illusions  of  errour,  yet  put  off  religion,  from  pe- 
riod to  period,  under  the  deceptions  idea  of  some  more  convenient 
season,  until  they  become  hardened  in  impenitency,  their  bonds 
are  made  strong,  and  they  die  without  hope  ?  And  what  assur- 
ance can  any  of  you  give,  that  it  will  not  be  thus  with  you  ? 
What  assurance  can  any  of  you  give,  that  you  will  not  be  carried 
away  by  the  overwhelming  torrent  of  vice  and  ungodliness ;  or 
that  you  will  not  be  turned  aside  to  the  most  fatal  delusions  of 
errour ;  or  that  you  will  not  at  least  let  your  precious  seasons, 
and  your  golden  opportunities,  pass  away,  until  the  Spirit  of  God 
shall  finally  leave  you,  until  your  day  of  grace  be  past,  and,  with 
a  hard  heart,  and  a  bhnd  mind,  you  lie  down  upon  the  bed  of 
death,  with  no  good  hope  to  support  you,  with  no  opening  pros- 
pects of  glory  to  console  you,  without  a  ray  of  hght  to  pierce  the 
dismal  gloom  of  the  grave,  or  to  dissipate  the  thickening  horrours 
of  eternal  darkness  ?  Is  it  not,  then,  all-important,  that  you  re- 
pent and  fear  God  in  your  youth?  And  is  not  a  delay  of  religion 
attended  with  infiinite  hazard  ? 

My  dear  young  friends,  what  heart  of  benevolence  can  but 
tremble  for  your  state  ?  You  are  just  rising  into  life.  You  arc 
just  stepping  upon  the  great  theatre  of  the  world,  to  act  your 
respective  parts  for  endless  retribution.  The  present  is,  with 
you,  certainly,  a  most  critical  and  interesting  period.  You  are 
now  forming  your  characters,  and  shaping  your  destinies,  for 
time  and  for  eternity.  Upon  the  choice,  which  you  make,  and 
upon  the  course  which  you  adopt,  interminable  ages  of  bliss  or 
of  wo  are  suspended.  Yet  the  most  of  you,  I  fear,  have  but 
very  little   serious   consideration  about  your  state.     With  the 


SERMON  XXXV.  451 

most  painful  concern  it  is  to  be  observed  that,  in  general,  our 
young  persons  appear  to  be  extremely  thoughtless,  given  to  vani- 
ty, and  inattentive  to  their  eternal  welfare.  Shall  it,  dear  youth, 
continue  to  be  thus  with  you?  yJiW  you  forget  God  your  Maker; 
and  lightly  esteem  the  Rock  of  your  salvation  9  Will  you  con- 
temn his  infinite  grace,  and  rest  contented  in  the  pollutions  of 
sin,  and  the  servitude  of  Satan  .''  Will  you  despise  substantial 
good,  and  give  yourselves  up  to  mere  vanity  ?  Will  you  be  of 
the  number  of  those,  who  Hve  only  to  corrupt,  and  act  only  to 
destroy  ?  Will  you  abuse  the  Saviour  who  died  for  you,  and 
trample  his  blood  under  your  feet  ?  Will  you  utterly  refuse  the 
counsels  of  wisdom,  and  rush  heedlessly  on  into  the  snares  of 
the  destroyer  ? — O  stop,  dear  youth  ;  stop,  I  conjure  you,  and 
seriously  consider  the  end.  If  you  despise  the  counsels  of  wis- 
dom, destruction  and  misery  are  before  you.  O  turji  then,  at 
]>er  reproofs.     Turn  ye,  turn  ye  ;  for  why  ivill  ye  die  ? 


SER3I0N   XXXVI. 


NECESSITY  OF  REGENERATION. 


»©« 


John  hi.  6,  7. 

That  which  is  born  ofthejlesh  isjlesh  ;  and  that  which  is  born  of  tht 
Spirit  is  spirit.  Marvel  not  that  I  said  unto  thee,  Ye  must  be  born 
again. 

It  is  of  primary  importance,  my  brethren,  correctly  and 
clearly  to  perceive  the  difference  between  the  state  of  nature 
and  the  state  of  grace.  It  is  a  difference  most  distinctly  recog- 
nized, and  earnestly  insisted  on,  in  the  scriptures ;  and,  without 
a  right  perception  of  it,  our  views  of  the  doctrines  and  instruc- 
tions of  the  scriptures  must  be  very  erroneous,  or  very  obscure. 
In  my  text,  this  difference  is  presented  with  great  clearness  and 
precision,  with  a  cardinal  doctrine  of  our  religion  resulting 
from  it. 

The  discourse,  of  which  the  text  is  a  part,  is  particularly 
memorable.  ^  Pharisee,  named  JVicodemus,  came  to  Jesus  by 
night,  and  said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  we  know  that  thou  art  a  Teach- 
er come  from  God  ;  for  no  man  can  do  these  miracles  that  thou 
doest,  except  God  be  with  him.  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again, 
he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.  If  duly  considered,  this 
memorable  answer  will  not  appear  to  have  been  so  abrupt,  and 
unconnected  with  what  Nicodemus  had  said,  as  at  first  it  might 


SERMON  XXXVI.  453 

seem  to  have  been.     Nicodemus   with  great   apparent  candour, 
declared  his  belief,  that  Jesus  was  a  Teacher  come  from  God; 
and  assigns,  as  the  reason  of  this  belief,  the  miracles  which  Je- 
sus had  wrought.     This,  for  a  Pharisee,  and  a  ruler  of  the  Jews, 
was  certainly  an  important  concession.     Yet  it  fell  far  short  of 
the  extent  to  which   it  ousrht  to  have   rone.     Had  Nicodemus 
been  divinely  enlightened,   and  of  a  spiritual   mind,   he   would 
have  seen  and  acknowledged,  not  only  that  Jesus  was  a  Teach- 
er come  from  God  ;  but,  also,  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  who 
was  to  come  and  set  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     Candid  as  he 
was,  there  was  a  great  defect  in  his  faith  ;  a  great  defect  in   his 
discernment  of  the  character  and  dignity  of  Jesus.     Perceiving 
this  defect,  and  the  reason  of  it,  Jesus  said,  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,   he  cannot  see,  cannot 
discern,  the  kingdom,  or  reign,  of  heaven.     Nicodemus,  with  all 
his  candour,    and   all  his  knowledge,    did  not  discern  it ;  nor 
woidd   he,  till  born   anew.     JYicodemus  saith  unto  him,  How 
can  a  man  be  born  when  he  is  old  ?     Can  he  enter  the  second 
time  into  his  inother^s  womb,  and  be  born  ?     Jesus   answered, 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee.  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water, 
and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom   of  God. 
Even  if  he  could  be  born  of  his  mother  a  second  time,  it  would 
be  of  no  avail.     He  must  be  born,  not  of  the  flesh  only,  but  of 
the  Spirit.     For  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh  ;  and  thai 
ivhich  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.     Marvel  not,  then,  that  I 
said  unto  thee,  Ye  must  be  born  again. 

The  positions,   to    which    our  attention  is  here   called,  are 
three. 

I.  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh. 

II.  That  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.     And,  hence.. 

III.  A  second  birth  is  necessary  for  mankind. 
I.    That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh. 

Born   of  the  flesh,   and   born  after   the  flesh,,  sre    phrases 

repeatedly  used  in  the  scriptures ;  and  the   sense  of  them   is 

by  no   means  disputable,  or  doubtful.       To   be    born    of  the 

flesh,  or  after  the  flesh,    is   to  be  born   in  the  way  of  natural 

generation,  or  in  the  way  that  all  mankind  come  into  the  world 


454  SERMON   XXX VI. 

That  which  is  thus  born,  or  thus  produced,  is  here  declared  to 
he  flesh.  But  what  is  here  meant  by  flesh  ?  This  term  rightly 
understood,  is  the  key  to  this  whole  subject ;  it  therefore  re- 
quires very  particular  attention. 

The  antithesis  in  the  text  is  to  be  distinctly  noted.  That 
which  is  bom  of  the  flesh  is  flesh  ;  that  which  is  born  of  the 
Spirit  is  spirit.  Being  born  of  the  flesh  is  put  in  opposition  to 
being  born  of  the  Spirit.  The  one,  as  already  noticed,  is  the 
natural  birth  of  mankind  ;  the  other,  as  we  shall  see  in  its  place, 
is  a  supernatural  birth.  That  which  is  born  naturally,  and  is 
here  cnWed  flesh,  is  also  put  in  opposition  to  what  is  born  super- 
naturally,  and  is  called  spirit.  The  body  of  man  is  indeed 
flesh,  in  contradistinction  to  the  soul,  which  is  spirit.  But  no 
one  supposes  that  this  is  the  sense,  in  which  flesh  and  spirit  are 
contrasted,  in  this  passage.  No  one  supposes  that  our  divine 
teacher  meant,  that  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh,  or  by  natural 
generation,  is  the  body,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  or 
by  supernatural  generation,  is  the  soul.  Flesh  and  spirit,  then, 
are  here  used  in  some  figurative  sense,  and  plainly  denote  dif- 
ferent and  opposite  moral  characters,  or  properties. 

The  term  flesh,  indeed,  is  used  in  the  scriptures,  in  many 
different  senses.  It  is  used  in  two  different  senses,  even  in  our 
text.  In  the  fii'st  instance,  in  the  subject  of  the  proposition, 
that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh,  it  is  used  to  denote  the  natural 
generation  of  mankind.  In  the  second  instance,  in  the  predicate 
of  the  proposition,  is  flesh,  it  is  used  to  denote  the  moral  state, 
character,  or  properties  of  mankind,  as,  by  natural  generation, 
they  come  into  the  world. 

What,  then,  is  the  moral  state,  character,  or  disposition, 
which  the  terra  flesh,  in  contradistinction  to  the  term  spirit,  de- 
notes .''  This  is  a  question,  a  correct  answer  to  which  is  of 
much  importance. 

Man  was  originally  created  in  the  image  of  God,  in  right- 
eousness and  true  holiness.  Being  in  his  moral  disposition  and 
character  like  God,  he  clearly  discerned  the  infinite  beauty, 
and  glory  of  his  adorable  Creator;  and  he  loved  God,  with  all 
his  heart,  and  ivith  all  his  soul.     His  moral  aiFections  then  were 


SERMON  XXXVL  456 

spiritual ;  tliey  were  placed  on  objects  spiritual  and  divine  ;  and 
in  them  lie  found  his  supreme  happiness.  In  that  state  of  inno- 
cence, indeed,  he  had  various  senses,  appetites,  and  passions, 
whose  immediate  objects  were  animal  and  earthly  ;  yet  all  of 
them  were  held  in  complete  subordination  to  his  supreme  love 
to  God,  to  his  affection  for  objects  spiritual  and  divine.  But 
what  must  have  been  the  consequence  of  his  losing  his  love  to 
God,  and  divine  objects  .'*  Plainly  this,  that  ho  would  drop  as 
from  heaven  to  earth  ;  from  his  exalted  state  of  spiritual  purity, 
dignity,  and  happiness,  down  into  a  state  of  deep  moral  degra- 
dation, and  corruption.  From  a  spiritual  and  heavenly  mind, 
he  would  sink  into  a  carnal  and  earthly  mind  ;  and  instead  of 
seeking  happiness  in  spiritual  objects  and  enjoyments,  he  would 
seek  it  only  in  the  objects  and  gratifications  of  his  earthly,  car- 
nal, sensuaJ,  and  selfish  dispositions,  appetites,  afiections,  and 
passions.  And  such,  my  hearers,  was  the  fact.  Man  did  lose 
his  love  to  God  ;  his  spiritual  and  holy  affections  ;  and  he  did 
fall  from  his  exalted  stale  of  spiritual  purity,  dignity,  and  hap- 
piness, down  to  a  state  of  deep  moral  degradation  and  corrup- 
tion. He  lapsed  from  spirit  into  flesh  ;  and  having  lost  his 
spiritual  and  heavenly  dispositions  and  affections,  the  dispositions 
and  affections,  which  remained  to  him,  were  all  fleshly  and 
earthly  ;  such,  only,  as  would  seek  their  gratifications  in  the 
world,  and  the  things  of  the  ivorld. 

This  simple  view  of  the  fallen  state  of  man  explains  to  us, 
at  once,  what  we  are  to  understand  by  the  terms  fiesh,  and  JlcshJy, 
or  carnal,  when  used  in  the  sense  of  our  text;  and,  in  this  view, 
the  scriptural  representations  of  the  subject  are  easy  and  plain. 
In  the  second  chapter  of  the  epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  tlie  apos- 
tle, speaking  of  himself  and  other  believers,  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  says,  fVe  all  had  our  conversation  in  times  past,  in 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of 
the  mind.  The  lusts  and  desires  of  the  flesh,  ace  the  carnal 
dispositions,  appetites,  propensities,  affections,  and  passions, 
which  are  natural  to  men  ;  and  to  have  our  conversation  in 
these,  and  to  fidfll  them,  is  to  be  devoted  to  the  objects  and 
pursuits,  to  which  they  load,  and  in  which  th.ey  seek  their  grat- 


45(3  SERMON   XXXVI. 

ifications.  In  the  language  of  the  apostle,  it  is  to  follow  the 
course  of  this  xoorld.  Accordingl)^,  to  the  Romans,  the  same 
apostle  says,  They  that  are  after  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things 
of  the  flesh.  What,  then,  are  the  things  of  the  flesh '^  They  are 
the  things  of  this  world  generally,  in  distinction  from  the  things 
of  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  are  the  things  of  the  Spirit.  If 
the  Gentiles,  says  the  apostle,  have  been  made  partakers  of  their 
SPIRITUAL  things  ;  that  is,  the  spiritual  things  of  the  saints  at 
Jerusalem  ;  their  duty  is  also  to  minister  to  them  in  carnal 
things.  The  term  carnal,  it  should  be  remembered,  is  of  the 
same  signification  with  the  term  fleshly  ;  and  here,  even  the 
good  things  of  this  world,  things  necessary  for  temporal  support 
and  comfort,  are  denominated  carnal  things,  or  things  of  the 
flesh.  To  the  Corinthians  also,  the  apostle  says,  If  we  have 
sown  unto  you  spiritual  things,  is  it  a  great  thing  if  we  shall 
reap  your  carnal  things  ?  This  scriptural  distinction  between 
carnal  things,  or  the  things  of  the  flesh,  and  spiritual  things,  or 
the  things  of  the  Spirit,  should  be  particularly  noted.  Spiritual 
things  are  the  things  of  God  and  his  kingdom.  Carnal  things 
are  the  things  of  this  world,  generally,  as  well  those  that  are,  in 
a  temporal  sense,  good,  as  those  that  are  not.  Hence,  when  it 
is  said,  that  they  that  are  after  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things  of  the 
flesh,  the  meaning  is,  that  they  are  devoted  to  the  world,  and 
the  things  of  the  world.  This  agrees  exactly  with  the  explana- 
tion before  given,  respecting  the  flesh. 

But  the  apostle  says  further.  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity 
against  God  ;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither 
indeed  can  be.  The  law  of  God  requires  that  we  should  love 
him  with  all  the  heart,  and  with  all  the  soul.  But,  as  the  dispo- 
si lions  and  affections,  which  constitute  the  fleshly,  or  carnal 
mind,  are  not  towards  God,  but  towards  the  world,  and  chain 
down  the  soul  to  earthly  things  ;  it  is  therefore  plain,  that  this 
carnal  mind  is  not,  and  cannot  be,  subject  to  the  law  ;  but  must 
be  contrary  and  hostile  to  it.  Hence,  also,  it  is  enmity  against 
God.  For,  though  God  allows  some  regard  to  the  things  of  the 
present  world,  such  as  is  duly  subordinate  to  a  supreme  regard 
lo  him,  and  the  things  of  his  kingdom  ;    yet,  a  devotedness  to 


SERMON   XXXVI.  457 

the  world  he  utterly  disallows,  forbids,  and  threatens  to  recom- 
pense with  everlasting  destruction.  Between  him,  then,  and 
the  carnal  mind,  which  is  entirely  devoted  to  the  world,  there  is 
necessarily  perpetual  hostility  ;  and  the  carnal  mind,  instead  of 
loving  him,  really  hates  him,  and  is  enmity  against  him. 

Such,  my  brethren,  is  the  carnal  mind,  or  the  flesh,  in  dis- 
tinction from  the  spiritual  mind,  or  the  spirit.  But  our  divine 
Teacher  affirms,  that  what  comes  into  the  world  in  the  way  of 
natural  generation,  is,  in  this  sense,  jlesh ;  is  the  carnal  mind. 
Accordingly,  we  read,  that  Adam  begat  a  son  in  his  own  like- 
ness, after  his  image  ;  not  in  the  likeness,  and  image  of  God,  in 
which  Adam  was  first  created  ;  but  in  the  likeness  and  image 
of  Adam,  in  his  fallen  state.  And  is  it  not  exceedingly  mani- 
fest that  such  has  been  the  fact,  in  regard  to  all  generations  of 
men  ^  Have  not  all  the  generations  of  the  world  given  awful 
proof,  that  they  were  flesh;  that  their  dispositions  and  affections, 
naturally,  were  not  spiritual,  but  carnal ;  not  set  upon  God,  and 
the  things  of  God,  but  upon  the  world,  and  the  things  of  the 
world.  Has  not  the  carnal  mind,  from  generation  to  generation, 
early  shown  itself  in  children  .''  And,  unless  divine  grace  has 
interposed,  has  it  not  "  grown  with  their  growth,  and  strength- 
ened with  their  strength  .'"'  The  truth  is  so  plain,  that  it  needs 
only  to  be  correctly  stated,  in  order  to  carry  conviction  to  every 
mind.  For,  who  will  undertake  to  say,  that  the  generations  of 
men,  or  any  of  them,  have  been  spiritually  minded  ;  have  had 
their  dispositions  and  affections,  not  towards  the  world,  and  the 
things  of  the  world  ;  but  towards  God,  and  the  things  of  God.'' 
Look  round  the  world,  my  hearers  ;  look  back  upon  past  ages  ; 
look  upon  yourselves,  and  upon  your  children  ;  and  say,  is  it  not 
true  that,  in  the  sense  now  explained,  that  which  is  born  of 

THE  FLESH  IS  FLESH  ? But, 

n.   That  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit. 

What  has  been  said  under  the  former  head,  has  prepared 
the  way  very  easily  to  understand  what  is  comprised  under  this. 
As  the  term  flesh,  in  the  former  part  of  the  text,  is  used  in  two 
senses,  so  is  the  term  spirit  here.  Being  born  of  the  Sjnrit  is 
put  in  opposition  to  being  born  of  the  flesh,  or  in  the  wav  of  nat*- 
58 


458  SERMON   XXXVl. 

ural  gencralion  ;  and  here,  by  the  Spirit,  we  are  doubtlebs  to 
understand  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Spirit  of  God.  But  the  predi- 
cate of  this  proposhion,  is  spirit,  is  put  in  opposition  to  that  of 
the  former,  is  flesh  ;  and  here  the  term  spirit  denotes  the  spirit- 
ual mind,  in  contradistinction  from  the  carnal  mind.  As,  indeed, 
spirit  is  thus  put  in  contrast  vi'iih  flesh;  since  we  have  seen  what 
is  meant  by  flesh,  or  the  carnal  mind,  we  can  be  at  no  loss  for 
what  is  meant  by  spirit,  or  the  spiritual  mind. 

The  spiritual  mind  is  that  holy  disposition,  that  affection  for 
God,  and  divine  things,  which  man  lost  by  the  fall.  It  consists 
in  dispositions  and  affections,  which  are  not  after  the  world,  and 
the  things  of  the  world  ;  but  after  God,  and  the  things  of  God  ; 
which  regard  God  as  the  supreme  good,  and  his  glory  as  the 
first  and  highest  object  of  attention  and  pursuit ;  which,  in  the 
language  of  Christ,  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his 
righteousness ;  and  which,  therefore,  raise  the  soul  in  its  de- 
sires, and  hopes,  and  views,  from  earth  to  heaven. 

That  which  is  produced  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  when  he  regen- 
erates the  soul,  is  the  spiritual  mind  now  described  ;  a  new 
mind,  or  heart,  consisting  of  dispositions  and  affections  for  spirit- 
ual and  divine  things.  In  clear  agreement  whh  this,  the  apostle 
John  says.  Whatsoever  is  born  of  God  overcometh  the  world  ; 
rises  superiour  to  all  worldly  pleasures  and  objects,  and  seeks  a 
heavenly  portion.  According  to  Paul,  also,  as  they  that  arc 
after  the  flesh,  or  are  born  only  of  the  flesh,  do  mind  the  things 
of  the  flesh,  or  are  devoted  to  the  world  ;  so  they  that  are  after 
the  Spirit,  or  are  born  of  the  Spirit,  do  mind  the  things  of  the 
Sjiirit,  or  are  devoted  to  God,  and  his  spiritual  kingdom. 

In  regeneration,  indeed,  the  Holy  Spirit  renews  in  men  that 
moral  image  of  God,  whicli  was  lost  by  the  fall.  Hence,  being 
born  of  the  Spirit  \s  caWed  a  new  creation  ;  that  which  is  thus 
produced  is  called  a  new  man,  which,  after  God,  or  in  the  image 
of  God,  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness  ;  and  they 
who  are  thus  born  again  are  said  to  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of 
their  minds,  and  to  be  God''s  workmanship,  created  in  Christ 
Jesus  unto  good  ivorks.  And  even  in  the  old  Testament,  God 
says,  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  yov. 


SERMON  XXXVI.  469 

und  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  loithin  you  ; and  I  tvill  put 

my  spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and 
ye  shall  keep  my  judgments  and  do  them. 

Such,  my  hearers,  is  the  spirit,  or  spiritual  mind,  in  distinc- 
tion from  the  flesh,  or  carnal  mind;  and  such  is  the  clearness, 
and  fulness,  with  which  the  scriptures  assert,  that  that  which 
IS  BORN  OF  THE  SPIRIT  IS  SPIRIT. — We  may  now  proceed  to 
consider  our  other  position  ;  which  is, 

III.  That  a  second  birth  is  necessary  for  mankind.  Marvel 
not  that  I  said  unto  thee,  ye  must  be  born  again. 

If  men  had  no  higher  portion  to  seek  than  what  lies  in  this 
world,  a  second  birth  would  not  be  necessary ;  for  they  come 
into  the  world  with  dispositions  and  affections  for  the  pursuit 
and  enjoyment  of  earthly  things.  But  this  world  is  not  our  home  ; 
nor  is  there  any  portion  to  be  found  in  the  things  of  this  world, 
suited  to  the  immortal  mind.  Here,  hovvever,  God,  who  is  in- 
finitely good,  has  been  pleased  to  set  up  a  kingdom  5  a  kingdom 
which  is  to  endure  forever,  to  rise  from  earth  to  heaven,  and  to 
be  filled  with  immortal  happiness  and  glory.  Into  this  kingdom 
he  invites  us  to  come  j  here  to  place  our  hopes,  and  to  lay  up 
our  treasure  ;  and  all  who  comply  are  safe  and  happy  for  eter- 
nity ;  and  all  who  refuse,  and  persist  in  refusing,  must  be  eter- 
nally poor,  and  xoretched,  and  miserable.  In  this  kingdom,  how- 
ever, dwelleth  righteousness.  It  is  a  spiritual  and  holy  king- 
dom ;  and  all  its  subjects  and  enjoyments  are  spiritual  and  holy. 
For  a  place  and  part  in  this  kingdom,  those  who  are  destitute  of 
spiritual  and  holy  affections  and  dispositions,  as  all  mankind 
naturally  are,  must  be  entirely  unqualified  and  incapacitated. 

This  is  strongly  expressed  by  our  Saviour  to  Nicodemus, 
in  the  context.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  he 
horn  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.  And,  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  he  born  of  water,  and  of 
the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  The 
meaning  is,  not  merely  that  God  has  determined  that  no  n^.an, 
without  being  born  again,  shall  see,  or  enter  into  his  kingdom  ; 
but  rather,  that  no  man,  without  being  born  again,  is  capacitated 
to  enter  into,  or  even  to  see,  this  holy  kingdom.     Nicodemus, 


46(5  SERMON   XXXVI. 

though  a  teacher  in  Israel,  or,  by  eminence,  according  to  the 
true  import  of  the  original,  the  teacher  of  Israel,  and  apparently, 
also,  very  candid  and  seriously  disposed,  could  not  see  it ;  and 
his  incapacity  for  seeing  it,  while  in  his  natural  state,  was  evi- 
dently the  very  thing  which  gave  occasion  for  Jesus  so  earnestly 
to  insist  on  the  necessity  of  being  born  again. 

And,  my  brethren,  is  it  not  evident,  that  none  of  mankind 
ever  can  truly  see  this  kindom,  so  long  as  they  remain  in  their 
natural  state,  destitute  of  spiritual  and  holy  dispositions  and  af- 
fections ?  They  may  hear,  indeed,  that  such  a  kingdom  exists ; 
and  they  may  believe  it.  They  may,  also,  know  something  of 
its  constitution  and  principles  ;  of  its  truths,  and  laws,  and  in- 
stitutions, and  outward  forms.  But  all  this  falls  short  of  really 
seeing  the  kingdom  of  God.  To  see  this  kingdom,  one  must 
perceive  its  spiritual  beauty  and  glory  ;  its  holiness  and  its  hap- 
piness. But  this  no  one  can  ever  see,  who  has  not  dispositions 
and  affections  suited  to  these  things  ;  dispositions  and  affections 
truly  spiritual  and  holy.  It  is  impossible  for  any  man  to  per- 
ceive the  beauty  of  musick,  who  has  no  taste  for  musick.  And 
equally  impossible  must  it  be  for  any  one  to  perceive  the  beau- 
ty of  holiness,  who  has  no  taste  for  holiness,  or  the  excellency 
of  spiritual  happiness,  without  any  taste  for  spiritual  happiness. 
Accordingly,  it  is  written,  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him; 
neither  can  he  know  them^  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned. 
Nothing,  indeed,  can  be  more  certain  than  this,  that  we  can 
never  see  the  beauty  or  excellency  of  any  object,  or  assem- 
blage of  objects,  however  beautiful  or  excellent,  for  which  we 
have  no  affection,  disposition,  or  taste. 

If,  without  being  born  of  the  Spirit,  no  one  can  even  see, 
truly,  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  surely,  without  this  second  birth, 
no  one  can  enter  into  it.  To  enter  into  this  kingdom,  one  must 
unite  himself  to  it,  choose  his  portion  and  take  up  his  residence 
in  it,  and  participate  in  its  pursuits,  enjoyments,  and  hopes.  But 
how  can  any  one  do  this,  while  destitute  of  spiritual  and  holy 
affections  and  dispositions  ;  while,  indeed,  all  his  propenshies 
and  dispositions  are  towards  the  world,  and  the  things  of  the 


SERMON  XXXVI.  4t)l 

world  ? — To  enter  into  this  kingdom,  moreover,  one  must  sub- 
mit to  the  laws  of  the  kingdom,  and  become  a  willing  and  loyal 

subject.     But  the  carnal  mind is  not  subject  to  the  law  cf 

God,  neither  indeed  can  he.  The  moral  law  which  is  the  fun- 
damental law  of  the  kingdom,  requires  supreme  love  to  God  ; 
love  to  him  for  his  infinite  holiness,  and  love  to  the  objects  and 
interests  generally,  which  his  kingdom  comprise,  which  are 
spiritual  and  holy.  But  in  their  natural  state,  men  have  no  true 
love  to  God,  no  true  love  to  any  spiritual  and  holy  objects  or 
interests.  This  love  is  the  very  thing  which  was  lost  by  the 
fall,  and  which  is  reproduced  in  men,  when  horn  of  the  Spirit. 
The  carnal  and  earthly  propensities  and  affections,  natural  to 
mankind,  instead  of  being  loyal  to  God,  and  subject  to  his  law, 
show  themselves  in  enmity  against  him,  and  array  themselves  in 
hostility  to  him,  his  law,  and  his  kingdom.  Upon  the  moral 
law,  the  gospel  is  superinduced  ;  and  there  is  no  coming  into 
the  kingdom  of  God,  but  by  submission  to  the  gospel.  Christ, 
even  Christ  crucified,  is  the  way  into  this  kingdom  ;  and  no 
man  can  come  into  it  but  by  faith  in  him — hy  faith  which  works 
by  love.  But,  as  men,  while  in  their  natural  state,  have  no  true 
love  ;  so  neither  can  they  have  true  faith,  nor  true  repentance, 
nor  any  of  the  holy  dispositions,  or  affections,  which  the  gospel 
requires.  They,  and  they  only,  truly  receive  Christ,  and  believe 
in  him,  who  are  born — born  anew — not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  ivill 
of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man  ;  hut  of  God. 

Men  may,  indeed,  in  an  outward  sense,  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God,  without  a  second  birth.  They  may  enter  into  his 
visible  church,  profess  to  be  his  subjects,  swear  allegiance  to 
him,  and  deport  themselves  with  all  external  respect  to  him. 
But  all  this  falls  far  short  of  a  real  entrance  into  his  spiritual 
kingdom  ;  and  while  men  have  only  this  outward  membership, 
their  hearts,  their  treasures,  their  objects  of  affection  and  delight, 
their  pleasures,  and  their  hopes,  are  not  in  the  kingdom  of  God, 
but  still  in  the  world.  What,  then,  will  they  do,  and  where  will 
they  be,  when  removed  from  this  world  i  What  will  they  do, 
and  where  will  they  be,  when  the  world,  and  all  that  is  in  it, 
shall  be  burned  up  ?'     In  the  spiritual  and  holy  kingdom  of  God 


46^2  SERMON  XXXVI. 

lliey  will  find  no  place.  Their  treasures,  their  objects  of  affec- 
tion and  delight,  their  pleasures,  and  their  hopes,  will  all  be 
gone  ;  and  they,  themselves,  will  be  poor,  and  wretched,  and 
miserable  forever.  And  thus  must  it  be  with  all,  my  hearers, 
whether  professors  or  non-professors,  who  ai'e  not  born  of  the 
Spirit. 

On  the  whole,  it  is  exceedingly  plain  that,  if  that  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh  ;  and  only  that  which  is  born  of  the 
Spirit  is  spirit  ;  then,  until  men  have  a  second  birth,  they  are  ut- 
terly unqualified  and  incapacitated  for  entering  into  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  even  for  seeing  it.  They  have  no  dispositions,  or 
affections,  suited  to  this  kingdom,  to  its  spiritual  and  holy  ob- 
jects, its  pursuits,  or  its  joys  ;  no  preparedness  to  yield  obedi- 
ence to  its  laws,  or  take  a  part  in  its  interests,  or  engage  in  its 
concerns.  And  were  it  possible  for  them,  without  being  born 
of  the  Spirit,  to  be  admitted  into  heaven,  they  would  find  them- 
selves not  at  home  there  ;  but  strangers  and  aliens,  nay,  ene- 
mies and  miserable  outlaws. 

IMPROVEMEIST. 

1.  We  see  the  reason  and  nature  of  the  moral  blindness  and 
darkness  of  mankind. 

The  melancholy  fact  of  this  blindness  and  darkness  is  indis- 
putable. It  is  abundantly  declared  in  the  word  of  God,  and 
awfully  evinced  by  the  conduct  of  men.  They  know  not,  nei- 
ther will  they  understand  ;  they  walk  on  in  darkness.  The  light, 
even  the  light  from  heaven,  shineth  in  darkness  ;  and  the  dark- 
ness comprehendeth  it  not.  Though  the  reason  of  this  has  al- 
ready been  brought  into  view,  it  deserves  to  be  here  more  dis- 
tinctly noted.  It  is,  that  men  have,  naturally,  no  disposition,  or 
affection,  or  taste,  for  spiritual  and  holy  things.  That  ivhich  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh — is  altogether  carnal  and  earthly  ;  and 
only  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit — is  truly  spiritual 
and  heavenly.  But  men  are  always  blind  to  that  for  which 
they  have  no  disposition,  affection,  or  taste.  It  is  only  by  a 
mind  truly  spiritual,  that  spiritual  things  can  be  truly  discerned. 
Men  walk  in  the  vanity  of  their  minds,  having  the  understanding 


SERMON  XXXVI.  463 

darkened,  Jeirtg  alienated  from  the  life  of  God  through  the  ig- 
norance that  is  in  them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  theik 
HEARTS  ;  because  they  have  no  affections  or  dispositions,  truly 
spiritual  or  holy,  to  enable  them  rightly  to  discern  spiritual  and 
hojy  things ;  and  their  carnal  minds  resolutely  turn  away  from 
God,  and  fix  upon  the  world,  and  are  filled  with  propensities, 
prejudices,  aud  passions,  which  counteract  the  means,  and  resist 
the  efforts,  which  would  bring  them  to  tlie  light. 

2.  The  view  taken  of  this  subject  may  assist  us  in  forming 
right  conceptions  of  our  native  depravity. 

By  depravity  we  mean  debasement,  degeneracy,  and  cor- 
ruption. Our  native  depravity  primarily  consists  in  the  absence 
of  that  spiritual  mind,  that  holiness  of  disposition  and  affection, — 
in  other  words,  of  that  love  to  God,  and  things  spiritual  and 
divine,  which  was  lost  at  the  fall.  Naturally  our  minds  arc 
only  carnal.  Our  hearts  consist  of  dispositions  and  affections, 
only  sensual,  selfish  and  earthly.  This  is  our  native  depravity. 
The  appetites  and  affections,  which  are  natural  to  us,  if  duly 
subordinated  to  a  principle  of  holy  love,  might  be  innocent. 
Some,  if  not  all  of  them,  were  in  man  in  his  primeval  innocency. 
Besides,  them,  however,  man  then  had  spiritual  and  holy  affec- 
tions, which  held  a  complete  dominion  in  him.  But  now  these 
spiritual  and  holy  affections  having  been  lost  by  the  fall,  the 
fleshly  and  earthly  affections  have  in  mankind  the  complete  do- 
minion, and  are,  therefore,  rebellious  against  God,  hostile  to  his 
law  and  to  his  kingdom,  and  fully  set  to  do  evil. 

In  a  proper  sense,  then,  our  native  depravity  is  total.  The 
term  total  depravity,  when  understandingly  and  correctly  used, 
does  not  import,  that  men  have  totally  lost  their  powers  of  moral 
agency  ;  for  all  the  powers  necessary  to  moral  agency  they  still 
possess.  Nor  does  it  mean,  that  they  are  as  bad  as  they  can 
be  ;  for  who  can  tell  to  what  excesses  their  rebelhous  disposi- 
tions, and  affections,  and  passions,  would  go,  if  freed  from  all 
the  restraints  under  which,  by  the  providence  and  grace  of  God. 
they  are  held.  Nor  does  it  mean,  indeed,  that  they  have  no 
dispositions,  or  affections,  which  are  not  in  themselves,  and  in 
every  degree  of  them,  sinful :  for  they  liave   dispositions  and 


464  SERMON  XXXVI. 

affections  which,  if  duly  subordinated  and  directed  to  the  glory 
of  God,  would  be  so  far  from  being  utterly  sinful,  that  they 
would  be  innocent,  and  even  useful.  But  the  term  imports, 
that  naturally  we  have  no  affections,  or  dispositions  truly  spirit- 
ual and  holy,  no  true  love  to  God,  or  things  spiritual  and  di- 
vine ;  or,  in  the  language  of  the  aposde,  that  in  us,  that  is,  in 
our  jlcsh,  or  in  our  natural  state,  dioelleth  no  good  thing  ;  noth- 
ing spiritually  good.  And  as  the  carnal  mind  is  not  subject  to 
the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be,  so  they  that  are  in  the 
flesh,  or  in  their  natural  state,  cannot  please  God;  for  none, 
even  of  their  best  things,  are  done  from  love  to  him,  or  with  a 
holy  regard  to  his  glory. 

3.  We  may  see  the  nature  of  the  spiritual  warfare  in  the 
christian's  mind. 

Naturally,  the  true  people  of  God  were  carnal,  even  as  others  ; 
but,  by  the  regenerating  grace  of  God,  a  spiritual,  or  holy  mind, 
or  heart,  has  been  produced  in  them.  The  renewal,  however, 
is  not  perfect  and  complete.  The  carnal  and  worldly  affections 
natural  to  them,  are  not  entirely  subdued,  and  brought  into  sub- 
ordination to  the  spii'itual  and  heavenly  affections  of  their  new 
nature  ;  but  they  are  perpetually  strugghng  for  indulgence,  and 
occasionally  gain  an  ascendancy.  Hence  the  warfare  in  the 
christian  mind.  The  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the 
spirit  against  the  flesh ;  and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the 
other ;  and  every  true  christian  can  say  with  the  apostle,  The 
good  that  I  would  I  do  not ;  but  the  evil  which  I  would  not  that 

I  do I  see  a  law  in  my  members  warring  against  the 

law  of  my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin 
ivhich  is  in  my  members.  Hence  it  is  that  christians  are  often- 
times, of  all  men  tlie  most  inconsistent. 

This  conflict  between  the  flesh  and  spirit  is  very  different 
from  that  between  the  flesh  and  the  conscience,  which  is  often 
experienced  by  unrenewed  men,  and  should  never  be  confound- 
ed with  it.  To  struggle  against  the  motions  of  sin,  from  true 
love  to  God  and  his  holy  law,  is  very  different  from  struggling 
against  them,  from  mere  conviction  of  the  judgment  or  con- 
science, that  they  are  wrong,  and  of  dangerous  tendency. 


SERMON  XXXVI.  465 

4.  Our  subject  may   assist  us,   individually,   in   forming  a 
correct  judgment  of  our  own  state  and  character. 

We  have  seen  what  we   all   are   by   nature  ;  and   we  have 
seen  wherein  consists  the  difference  between  the  state  of  nature 
and  the  state  of  grace,  or  the  regenerated  state.      That  which  is 
born  of  the  Jlesh  is  flesh  ;  that,  and  that  only,  ivhich  is  born  of 
the  Spirit  is  spirit.     Have  we  then   been   born  of  the  Sjiirit  ? 
Have  we  any  truly  spiritual  and  holy  affections  and  dispositions ; 
any  true  love  to  God,  his  law,  his  gospel,  his   kingdom  ?     The 
question  is  not,  whether  we  do  any  things  which   are  outwardly 
fair  and  good ;  nor,  indeed,   whether  we   have  any  dispositions 
and  affections  which  are,  in  a  social,  civil,  or  worldly  sense,  ami- 
able and  commendable  ?     But,  are  the  outwardly  fair  and  good 
things  which  we   do,   or  any  of  them,   done  from  love  to  God, 
and  in  the  spirit  of  dutiful  obedience  to  him  ?     Are  our  natural 
dispositions  and  affections,  which  are   amiable   and  commend- 
able, in  any  measure  sanctified,  by  a  holy  consecration  to  God, 
his  service,  and  his  glory  .''     If  we  have  any  ti'ue  love  to  God, 
any  holy  affection  for  spiritual  and  divine  things,  we  are  then 
born  of  the  Spirit ;  and  the  evidence  that  we  are  thus  born, 
and  are  the  children   of  God,  is  in  proportion  to  the  strength 
and  prevalency  of  our  love  to  him,  and  the  things  of  his  king- 
dom.    To  this  point,  then,  our  examination  should  be  directed ; 
and  too   much  care   we  cannot  use,  that  we  do  not  deceive 
ourselves,  and  mistake  for  dispositions  truly  spiritual  and  holy, 
such  as  have  only  a  specious   appearance.     But  if,   upon   due 
examination,  we  find  that  we  have  any  of  this  evidence  of  hav- 
ing been  born  of  the   Spirit,   we  should  thank   God  and  take 
courage  ;  and  henceforth,  use  all  diligence  to  ivcdk,  not  after  the 
flesh,  but  after  the  spirit,  in  neumessof  life,  being  filled  ivith  the 
fruits  of  righteousness,  which  are,  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  glory  and 
praise  of  God.     For,  surely,  it  becomes  the  children  of  God  to 
ivalk  worthy  of  him  who  hath  called  them  to  his  kingdom  and  glory. 
If  we  have  no  such  evidence,  that  we  have  be'en  born  of  the 
Spirit,  it  becomes  us  to  reflect,   solemnly,  on  our  fallen,   and 
guilty,  and  wretched  condition  ;  to  feel   and   acknowledge  that 
we  arc  dead  in  trespasse-'i  and  sins;  to   ndnut  the  convicllou 


Q 


460  SERMON   XXXVI. 

home  to  our  consciences  and  hearts,  that  our  carnal  mind  is  en- 
mity against  God,  not  subject  to  his  law  ;  and  that,  therefore,  so 
long  as  we  are  in  the  flesh  we  cannot  please  God  ;  that,  unless 
we  are  born  again,  we  cannot  see,  or  enter  into,  his  holy  king- 
dom ;  and  that  our  eternal  salvation  absolutely  depends  on  the 
grace  of  God,  granting  his  Holy  Spirit  to  renew  us  after  his 
own  image,  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.  Blessed  be  his 
name  for  the  assurance  we  have,  that  he  is  more  ready  to  give 
his  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him,  than  parents  are  to  give 
good  gifts  to  their  children.  O  may  we  all  receive  this  grace  ; 
may  we  all  be  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  be  the  children  of  God 
in  truth,  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake. — Amen. 


SERMON  XXXVII. 


OUR   GRIEFS    AND    SORROWS    BORNE    BY    CHRIST. 


Isaiah,  liii.  4. 
Surely  he  hath  borne  our  griefs^  and  carried  our  sorrows. 

xllS  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful  ! — And  wonderful 
truly  it  is.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Wonder  of  wonders,  to  earth 
and  heaven.  Though,  being  in  the  form  of  God,  he  thought  it 
not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God  ;  yet  he  made  himself  of  no 
reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was 
made  in  the  likeness  of  men  ;  and,  being  found  in  fashion  as  a 
man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even 
the  death  of  the  cross.  Infinite  disparities  and  incongruities  are 
here  presented  in  strict  conjunction.  The  mighty  God,  the  ever- 
lasting Father — a  babe  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  lying  in  a 
manger  I  God  manifest  in  the  flesh — a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground  ; 
the  son  of  a  carpenter !  The  blessed  and  only  Potentate,  the 
King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords — a  man  of  sorrows  and  ac- 
quainted with  grief !  The  Prince  of  life,  the  Lord  of  glory  ;  he 
who  made  all  things,  and  who  upholdeth  all  things  by  the  ivord 
of  his  powers-one  whose  face  is  marred  more  than  any  man^s, 
sweating  as  it  were  great  drops  of  blood,  crowned  ivith  thorns, 
expiring  on  the  cross  ! — Well  might  the  prophet  exclaim,  Who 
hath  believed  our  report  ? — and  the  apostle,  Great  is  the  mystery 
of  godliness ! — But  why,  my  hrethien,  why  this  exhibition  of 


468  SERMON  XXXVII. 

wonders,  surpassing  all  ordinary  credibility?  The  answer  is 
comprised  in  one  short  sentence  ;  Though  he  was  rich,  yet  for 
our  sakes  he  became  poor,  that  we,  through  his  poverty,  might  he 
rich.  It  is  comprised  in  a  sentence  still  shorter;  Surely  he  hath 
home  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows.  This  is  the  key 
which  unlocks  the  whole  mystery.  He  shall  grow  up  before  him, 
says  the  prophet,  as  a  tender  plant,  and  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry 
ground  ;  he  hath  no  form  nor  comeliness  ;  and  when  we  shall  see 
him,  there  is  no  beauty  that  we  should  desire  him.  He  is  despis- 
ed and  rejected  of  men  ;  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with 
grief.  Anticipating  the  inquiry,  why  the  adorable  Messiah,  the 
Son  of  the  Highest,  should  appear  in  these  circumstances  of 
amazing  humiliation  and  suffering,  the  prophet  answers.  Surely 
he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows.  My  design 
is,  to  show  the  import,  and  illustrate  the  truth  of  these  memora- 
ble words.  And  this  I  shall  attempt,  under  three  distinct  heads. 
Christ  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows.  First,  in 
sympathizing  with  us  in  them — Secondly,  in  affording  us  support 
and  relief  under  them — Thirdly,  in  suffering  for  our  complete 
and  eternal  redemption  from  them. 

I.  Christ  has  borne  our  griefs,  and  earned  our  sorrows,  in 
sympathizing  with  us  in  them. 

A  benevolent  man  is  compassionate  and  sympathetick.  He 
is  touched  with  the  sufferings  of  others,  and  bears,  in  sympathy, 
their  griefs  and  sorrows.  The  good  parent,  the  kind  relation, 
the  affectionate  friend,  especially,  sympathizes  tenderly  in  the 
sufferings  of  his  children,  relations,  and  friends.  Christ  is  per- 
fectly and  infinitely  benevolent.  God  is  love.  Christ  is  love. 
It  is  his  very  nature  to  be  compassionate — to  be  tenderly  touch- 
ed with  the  sufferings  which  he  sees  ;  and  his  sympathy  is  great- 
er than  that  of  any  man,  any  parent,  any  relative,  any  friend  on 
earth,  in  proportion  as  his  benevolence  is  greater.  Herein  is 
love, — benevolence,  compassion, — that  God  sent  his  Son  to  be 
the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
shoidd  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  Nor  was  the  love  of 
the  Son  less  illustriously  manifested  than  that  of  the  Father. 
Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life 


1 


SERMON  XXXVII.  46a 

for  his  friend  ;  hut while  ive  icere  enemies,    Christ  died 

for  us.  Yes,  my  hearers,  he  beheld  our  miseries  ;  his  herirt  was 
touched  ;  and  he  came  down  from  heaven  for  our  help.  Great- 
er proof  of  his  compassion — of  his  sympathy — could  not  have 
been  exhibited. 

Not  only  has  he  regarded  us  as  objects  of  his  general  be- 
nevolence ;  but  he  has  been  pleased  to  acknowledge  a  particular 
relation  to  us,  and  to  take  a  particular  interest  in  us.  As  the  one 
Mediator  between  God  and  men,  he  has  taken  mankind  under 
his  special  patronage,  and  charged  himself  with  a  special  atten- 
tion to  their  concerns,  and  care  for  their  welfare.  He  took  not 
on  hlin  the  nature  of  angels  ;    hut  he   took  on  him  the  seed,  of 

Abraham  ; that  he  might  be  a  mercib^ul   and  faithful 

High  Priest.  He  condescended  to  be  born  of  a  tcoman  ;  to  he 
made  in  all  things  like  unto  his  brethren  of  tl;e  human  family, 
sin  excepted  ;  and  to  dwell  among  us.  Therefore,  says  an  apos- 
tle, JVe  have  not  an  High  Priest  who  cannot  be  touched  with  a 
feeling  of  our  infirmities.  In  him,  to  his  infinite  benevolence  as 
God,  and  to  his  love  to  us  as  his  creatures,  are  superadded  all 
the  pure  affections  which  can  spring  from  common  nature  and 
brotherhood,  and  all  the  peculiar  interest,  which  the  most  entire 
and  affectionate  charge  of  our  welfare  can  induce. 

He  feels  for  the  miseries  of  mankind  in  general,  and  for  the 
sufferings  of  each  individual  in  particular.  The  Lord  is  good 
unto  ALL,  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  ivorks.  This  is 
true  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  emphatically  so  in  regard  to 
mankind.  When  he  was  in  the  world,  he  wept  \^  itli  Martha  and 
Mary  at  the  grave  of  their  brother.  Nor  was  it  to  his  friend? 
only  that  his  compassion  was  shown.  He  wept  over  Jerusalem, 
that  bloody  city,  which  was  filled  with  his  enemies.  And  now, 
though  exalted  to  the  right  hand  of  Majesty  on  high,  his  merc\ 
is  still  the  same.  From  his  glorious  high  throne,  he  looks  down 
upon  the  children  of  men,  with  the  same  tenderness  for  hi> 
friends,  as  when  he  wept  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus ;  with  the  same 
commiseration  for  his  enemies,  as  when  he  lamented  over  Jen;- 
salem ;  with  the  same  benevolent  sympathy  for  all  mankind,  as 
when  he  bled  on-the  cross  for  us.     The  circumsiap.ces  of  evcrv 


4T0  SERMON   XXX VII. 

one  of  us,  in  every  stage  and  scene  of  our  liv'es,  have  been  perr 
fectly  known  to  him  ;  and,  according  to  the  strong  language  of 
scripture,  in  all  our  affiiciions  he  has  been  afflicted.  Thus  he 
has  home  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows.  He  has  compas- 
sionately sympathized  in  the  various  and  multiplied  sufferings  of 
all  the  millions  of  mankind,  in  every  generation  ;  and  especially 
with  those  who  have  believed  on  him,  who  have  committed  them- 
selves to  his  care,  and  whom  he  has  acknowledged  as  his  friends, 
and  regarded  as  the  apple  of  his  eye. 

I!.  Christ  has  home  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows,  in 
afibrding  us  support  and  relief  under  them. 

His  benevolence  is  not  satisfied  with  kind  feelings  and  sym- 
pathies, kept  within  himself.  It  is  not  like  that  feeling,  too 
common  among  men,  which  says  to  the  distressed  children  of 
want.  Depart  in  peace ;  he  ye  warmed  and  filled ;  but  does 
nothing  for  their  relief.  It  is  active,  and  efficient,  and  exuber- 
antly productiv-e. 

In  consequence  of  the  fall,  the  world  of  mankind  naturally 
lies  in  ruins.  They  are  under  a  consuming  curse,  which,  if  not 
counteracted,  or  mitigated,  would  overwhelm  them  with  insup- 
portable and  endless  woes.  Christ  has  undertaken  for  their 
help  ;  and  he  is  mighty,  as  well  as  benevolent.  The  earth,  he 
says.  The  earth,  and  all  the  inhabitants  thereof  are  dissolved  ; 
I  bear  up  the  pillars  of  it.  The  entire  human  family,  with  all 
their  sins,  and  wants,  and  maladies,  and  miseries,  are,  with  his 
consent,  and  at  his  desire,  cast  upon  him.  He  bears  them  up 
from  hopeless  perdition  ;  he  sustains  them  all,  during  their  sea- 
son, and  under  the  various  circumstances  of  their  probation ; 
and  he  supplies  every  one  of  ihem  with  their  multiplied  sup- 
ports and  solaces.  The  tender  mother  does  not,  in  so  absolute 
or  so  affecting  a  sense,  bear  the  griefs,  and  carry  the  sorrows,  of 
the  sickly,  helpless,  distressed  infant  at  her  breast,  to  whom  she 
assiduously  and  solicitously  ministers  support  and  rehef,  as 
Christ  bears  the  grief,  and  carries  the  sorrows  of  every  indi- 
vidual of  mankind.  By  liim,  the  tender  mother  herself,  with 
lier  helpless  infant,  is  supported  ;  and  by  him  enabled  to  feel  all 
that  she  feels,  and  to  do  all  that  she  does,  for  the  dear  object  of 


SERMON   XXXVII.  471 

her  tender  solicitude.  By  him,  too,  the  wife,  the  sister,  the 
brother,  the  friend,  are  supported,  and  enabled  to  sympathize 
with  the  several  objects  of  their  affectionate  concern,  and  to 
minister  to  their  solace  ;  and  by  him  those  objects  of  concern,  un- 
der their  various  pains  and  distresses,  are  sustained  and  relieved. 
Says  the  prophet,  /  will  mention  the  loving  kindnesses  of  the 
Lord,  and  the  praises  of  the  Lord,  according  to  all  that  the 
Lord  hath  bestowed  on  us,  and  the  great  goodness  toioard  the 
house  of  Israel,  which  he  hath  bestowed  on  them,  according  to 
his  mercies,  and  according  to  the  multitude  of  his  loving  kind- 
nesses. For  he  said,  surely  they  are  my  people,  children  thai 
will  not  lie  ;  so  he  was  their  Saviour.  In  all  their  ajfflictions  he 
was  afflicted,  and  the  angel  of  his  presence  saved  them.  In 
his  love  and  in  his  pity  he  redeemed  them,  and  he  bare  them, 
and  carried  them  all  the  days  of  old.  Moses,  who  himself  both 
witnessed  and  experienced  this  compassionate  care,  describes  it 
in  terms  as  beautiful  as  imagination  can  conceive.  The  Lord^s 
portion  is  his  people;  Jacob  is  the  lot  of  his  inheritance.  He 
found  him  in  a  desert  land,  and  in  the  waste  howling  wilderness. 
He  led  him  about,  he  instructed  him,  he  kept  him  as  the  apple  of 
his  eye.  As  an  eagle  stirreth  up  her  nest,  fluttereth  over  her 
young,  spreadeth  abroad  her  wings,  taketh  them,  beareth  them  on 
her  wings  ;  so  the  Lord  alone  did  lead  him.  All  this  beautiful 
imagery,  my  brethren,  may,  with  strict  propriety,  be  employed 
to  represent  Christ's  compassionate  care  towards  all  the  families 
and  individuals  of  mankind,  and  the  affecting  manner  in  which 
he  bears  our  griefs,  and  carries  our  sorrows.  True  it  is,  that 
the  people  of  Israel,  perverse  and  rebellious  as  they  manifested 
themselves  to  be,  were  in  a  peculiar  sense  his  people,  and  under 
his  particular  providence.  True,  also,  it  is,  that  those  of  every 
nation,  who  truly  believe  on  him,  and  Hve  in  dutiful  obedience 
to  his  will,  and  in  humble  reliance  on  his  grace,  are  objects  of 
his  peculiar  favour,  and  receive  from  him  peculiar  supports  and 
consolations.  He,  however,  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men,  though 
especially  so,  of  them  that  believe.  All  are  dependent  on  him  ; 
all  are  supported  by  him  ;  all  are  carried  on,  through  life,  in  the 
arms  of  his  providence  ;  all  are  sustained,   under  tlieir  variou*^ 


472  SERMON   XXXVII. 

infirmities  and  calamities,  griefs  and  sorrows,  by  the  hand  of  hi^^ 
niercy. 

Matthew,  in  the  viiith  chapter  of  his  gospel,  tells  us,  that 
Christ's  miracles  of  healing  were  wrought,  that  it  might  be  ful- 
jilled  which  was  spoken  by  Esaias  the  prophet,  Himself  took  our 
injirmlties,  and  bare  our  sicknesses.  The  evangelist  here  quotes, 
with  some  variation  of  expression,  the  very  passage  of  our  text, 
and  applies  it  to  the  relief  which  Jesus  afforded  to  the  oppressed 
and  the  sick.  And  often,  while  he  was  going  about  doing 
good,  he  was  moved  with  compassion  towards  those  whom  he 
saw  in  distress  and  sorrow,  and  granted  them  relief  and  conso- 
lation. Those  instances  were  exhibited  to  our  senses,  to  give  a 
more  impressive  idea  of  his  compassion  and  care  for  us.  But, 
my  brethren,  in  the  same  sense  here  explained,  he  as  really 
now  bears  our  griefs,  and  carries  our  sorrows,  as  he  did,  when 
he  tabernacled  in  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us.  He  is  now  as  re- 
ally touched  with  a  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  as  when  he  was 
moved  with  compassion  for  the  multitudes  around  him  ;  he  now 
as  really  heals  the  sicknesses,  from  which  we  are  recovered,  as 
he  did  those  of  the  patients  then  brought  to  him  ;  as  really  sym- 
pathizes with  mourners,  and  ministers  to  their  support  and  con- 
solation, as  when  he  visited  Martha  and  Mary.  Yes,  my  breth- 
ren, he  now  sustains  us,  our  families,  our  friends,  and  all  our 
fellow  men,  under  all  our  weaknesses,  maladies,  bereavements, 
and  sorrows,  and  supplies  us  with  all  our  supports,  reliefs,  sola- 
ces, and  joys.     But, 

III.  Christ  has  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows, 
in  suffering  for  our  complete  and  everlasting  redemption  from 
them. 

This,  my  brethren,  is  the  highest  sense  of  all ;  and  this 
sense  the  prophet  more  clearly  conveys,  in  the  verse  next  fol- 
lowing the  -text.  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he 
was  bruised  for  our  iniquities  ;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was 
upon  him ;  and  with  his  stripes  toe  are  healed.  This  sense  is 
also  expressed  by  the  apostle  Peter,  when  he  says.  Who  his 
own  self  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree;  that  we,  be- 
ing d.pnd  to  sin  should  live  unto  righteousness  ;  by  whose  stripes 


SERMON  XXXVII.  473, 

we  are  healed.  And  by  Paul,  when  he  says,  So  Christ  tvas 
once  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  many  ;  and  unto  them  that  look 
for  him  shall  he  appear  the  second  time,  without  sin,  unto  sal- 
vation. 

Our  miseries,  our  griefs  and  sorrows,  my  hearers,  are  all 
of  them  the  consequences  of  sin.  By  one  man  sin  entered  into 
the  world,  and  death  by  sin  ;  and  so  death  hath  passed  upon  all 
men,  for  that  all  have  sinned.  And,  as  we  are  all  sinners,  we 
have  all  incurred  the  curse  of  the  divine  law,  and  rendered  our- 
selves liable,  not  only  to  the  various  calamities  of  this  world  ; 
but,  also,  to  indignation  and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  in 
the  world  to  come.  Christ,  as  our  Redeemer  and  Saviour, 
suffered  and  died  for  us,  bearing  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on 
the  tree,  that,  through  this  atonement,  we  might  obtain  the  for- 
giveness of  sin,  be  delivered  from  its  dominion,  acquitted  from 
its  guilt,  and  ultimately  saved  from  all  its  miseries,  temporal  and 
eternal.  In  this  most  important  sense,  he  has  taken  upon  him 
all  our  griefs,  and  all  our  sorrows  ;  has  borne  them,  and  carried 
them  ;  and,  under  their  dreadful  weight,  has  exhibited  himself  a 
most  interesting  and  affecting  spectacle  to  earth  and  heaven. 
Having  thus  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us,  this  redemption, 
with  all  its  unspeakable  and  immortal  blessings,  he  graciously 
offers  to  us.  During  our  season  of  probation,  indeed,  he  lets 
us  feel,  from  time  to  time,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  the  miseries 
of  sin  ;  that  we  may  be  convinced  of  its  evil  nature,  and  be  in- 
duced to  seek  to  him  for  salvation.  But,  under  these  miseries, 
he  kindly  sustains  us,  and  affords  us  favourable  opportunities  to  at- 
tend to  the  offers  of  his  grace.  If,  penitently  and  bclievingly,  we 
accept  his  grace,  and  commit  ourselves  to  him,  he  fails  not  to  seal 
to  us  the  pardon  of  our  sins,  to  give  us  his  peace,  ichich  passeth  all 
understanding,  and  to  dispense  to  us  the  purest  and  richest  con- 
solations. And  all,  who  thus  avail  themselves  of  his  salvation  ; 
all,  who  truly  obey  his  gospel,  he  will  ere  long  dejiver  from  all 
their  sins,  infirmities,  and  calamities  ;  from  all  the  miseries  of 
time,  and  all  the  woes  of  eternity.  Yes,  and  the  griefs  and  sor- 
vows,  all  the  multiplied  and  various  afiliclion.-  v.liich  th.ey  have 


474  SERMON  XXXVII. 

endured,  he  ^vill  make  to  u'ork  out  for  them  a  far  more  exceed- 
ing and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 

REFLECTIONS. 

I.  The  chcumstances  of  our  present  state  aie  mfinitely  mer- 
ciful, and  infinitely  interesting. 

We  are  all  of  us,  my  dear  hearers,  sinful  beings.  We,  and 
our  whole  race,  are  naturally  in  a  fallen,  guilty,  and  ruined  con- 
dition ;  and  might  justly  have  been  left  to  perish,  every  one  of 
us,  in  our  sins.  But  we  are  respited  from  deserved  destruction, 
and  are  favoured  with  a  merciful  probation.  These  circumstan- 
ces, tlien,  even  the  most  afflictive  and  painful  of  them,  may  be 
regarded  as  merciful.  They  are  merciful,  as  they  are  far  less 
woful  than  our  iniquities  deserve  ;  and  they  are  merciful,  as 
they  are  suited  to  the  gracious  purposes  of  our  probation,  and^ 
if  rightly  considered  and  improved,  will  all  work  for  our  highest 
good.  This  is  evident  from  the  single  consideration,  that  Christ 
has  home  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows.  Our  circum- 
stances are  all  ordered  by  Christ  himself.  The  whole  adminis- 
tration of  our  probationary  scene  is  under  his  hand  ;  and  the 
whole  is  conducted  with  the  same  benevolence,  and  with  a 
view  to  the  same  gracious  end,  which  induced  him  to  lay  down 
his  life  for  us.  Doubtless,  in  the  state  of  final  retribution,  it 
may  be  consistent  with  infinite  benevolence,  to  inflict  misery, 
not  for  the  benefit,  but  for  the  punishment  of  the  sufferers. 
But  this,  my  brethren,  is  not  a  state  of  retribution.  It  is  a 
state,  such  as  our  benevolent  Redeemer  has  seen  fit  to  assign  to 
us,  with  reference  to  that  great  salvation,  which  he  has  pro- 
cured for  us,  and  which  he  graciously  offers.  While,  therefore, 
he  continues  us  here,  carries  us  on  through  the  scenes  of  life 
under  his  own  care,  takes  the  most  lively  interest  in  our  welfare, 
and  sympathizes  with  us  in  our  griefs  and  sorrows;  can  we 
imagine  that  he  ever  appoints  any  afflictions  for  us,  which  he 
does  not  see  to  be  adapted  to  the  gracious  end  which  he  has  in 
view  in  our  probation.  Sickness  is  adapted  to  remind  us  that 
t\'e  are  under  the  sentence   of  death,  and  that  it  behooves  us  to 


SERMON  XXXVII.  475 

jose  no  timo  in  preparing  for  the  solemn  event.  Losses  and 
disappointments,  in  regard  to  eardily  riches,  are  adapted  to 
teach  us  the  vanity  of  the  world,  and  the  importance  of  laying 
up  for  ourselves  treasures  in  heaven.  Yes,  my  brediren,  every 
kind  of  affliction,  which  we  feel,  brings  along  with  it  useful  les- 
sons of  admonition  and  instruction.  Surely,  then,  we  ought 
never,  under  any  circumstances  of  life,  to  complain,  or  repine  ; 
but  always  to  be  submissive  and  thankful.  The  consideration, 
tliat  all  our  circumstances  are  ordered  by  our  benevolent  Re- 
deemer, for  the  best  end,  should  also  excite  us  to  the  greatest 
earnestness  and  carefulness,  wisely  to  improve  them.  The 
thought,  that  he  has  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows, 
should  melt  our  hearts,  and  lead  us  humbly  and  gratefully  to 
look  to  him  for  relief  and  salvation.     Hence, 

2.  Our  obligations  to  Christ  are  unspeakably  great  and  af- 
fecting. 

It  is  generally  thought,  perhaps,  that  christians,  whose  sins 
are  forgiven,  and  who  have  a  good  hope  for  heaven,  are  under 
great  obhgations  to  Christ.  But,  my  dear  hearers,  are  chris- 
tians only  under  such  obligations  .''  Are  vi^e  not  all  ?  Is  not 
Christ  the  Saviour  of  all  men  ?  Has  he  not  died  for  us  all  .'' 
Has  he  not,  hitherto,  kept  us  all  from  death,  and  from  that 
eternal  wo  which  we  deserve  ?  Has  he  not  most  compassion- 
ately sympathized  with  us  in  all  our  afflictions,  supported  us 
under  them,  and  called  upon  us,  with  all  the  affectionate  ten- 
derness of  infinite  love  and  mercy,  to  improve  them  for  our 
highest  good  .''  Has  he  not  offered  to  us  all,  and  does  he  not 
still  offer,  complete  salvation  from  sin,  and  all  its  miseries,  and 
immortal  and  most  exalted  felicities  in  his  kingdom  of  glory  ? 
Are  we  not  all,  then,  under  infinite  obligations  to  him  .''  And  if 
any  of  us  live  in  forgetfulness  of  him,  despising  his  love,  neglect- 
ing his  salvation,  continuing  in  sin  ;  how  atrocious  is  our  in- 
gratitude— how  amazing  our  guilt — how  fearful  the  doom  to 
which  we  are  exposed  ! 

But,  though  Christ  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men,  he  is  especially 
so  of  them  that  believe.  And  what  tongue  can  express  the  rich- 
es of  the  grace  which  he  has  conferred  on  thera ;  the  greatness 


47G  SERMON   XXXVII. 

of  the  love  which  he  bears  to  them  ;  the  tenderness  of  the  sym- 
pathy which  he  feels  for  them,  in  their  griefs  and  sorrows  ;  the 
sweetness  of  the  consolations  which  he  imparts  to  them ;  the 
far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory  which  he  re- 
serves for  them  ;  or  the  elevated  joys  of  those  songs  of  thanks- 
giving and  praise  to  him,  in  which  they  will  be  employed,  with 
ever  fresh  and  ever  increasing  delight,  to  all  eternity  !  Surely, 
then,  their  obligations  to  Christ  must  be  immensely  great,  and 
most  deeply  affecting. 

3.  The  subject  should  tenderly,  but  powerfully,  constrain  us 
all  to  look  to  Christ  for  present  consolation,  and  for  everlasting 
life  and  glory. 

My  hearers,  has  he  home  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sor- 
rows ?  Surely,  then,  he  is  ready  to  bestow  every  blessing,  every 
good  thing.  If  he  so  tenderly  compassionates  the  miserable 
condition  into  which  sin  has  brought  us  ;  if  he  has  borne  our  sins 
in  his  own  body  on  the  tree  ;  if  in  all  our  afflictions  he  has  been 
afflicted  ;  if,  hitherto  he  has  healed  our  sicknesses,  and  redeem- 
ed our  lives  from  destruction,  and  crowned  them  with  loving 
kindness  and  tender  mercies  ;  will  he  not,  assuredly,  if  we  look 
to  him,  supply  us  with  all  needed  grace  and  consolations,  in  this 
world,  and  confer  upon  us  all  the  blessings  of  eternal  salvation, 
in  the  world  to  come  .'* 

O  ye,  who  have  lived  until  now  estranged  from  Christ, 
be  entreated  no  longer  thus  to  live.  Let  his  love  constrain  you  j 
let  his  compassion  melt  your  hearts ;  let  his  salvation  be  all  your 
hope,  and  all  your  desire ;  and  let  not  your  sins,  your  griefs, 
and  your  sorrows,  which  he  has  borne,  finally  fall  upon  you 
with  accumulated  weight,  and  sink  you  the  deeper  in  eternal 
wo.  O  repent,  and  believe  in  him.  Look  unto  him  and  be 
saved. 

Christians,  look  unto  Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of  your 
faith,  who  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him — the  joy  of  saving 
millions  of  our  race  from  everlasting  wo — endured  the  cross, 
despising  the  shame,  and  is  set  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
throne  of  God.  Look  unto  him,  and  run  with  patience  the  race 
that  is  set  before  you  ;  and  never,  under  the  pains  and  sorrows 


SERMON  XXXVII.  477 

of  your  pilgrimage,  never  be  weary  or  faint  in  your  minds. 
Look  unto  him  with  grateful  remembrances  of  his  grace,  and 
his  precious  consolations,  which  you  have  experienced,  and 
cast  all  your  cares  upon  him  who  careth  for  you.  Look  unto 
him,  and  learn  from  his  example,  to  sympathize  with  others  in 
their  afflictions,  and  so  to  fulfil  his  law  of  love. 

And  now  unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our 
sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto 
God  and  his  Father  ;  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and 
ever. — Amen. 


SERMON  XXX Vm. 


IMPORTANCE    OF    BEING    KEPT    IN    THE    TRUTH. 


►®« 


John  xvii.   I  ] . 

.ilnd  now  I  am  no  more  in  the  world^  but  these  arc  in  the  world^  and  I 
come  to  thee.  Holy  Father,  keep  through  thine  own  name  those 
whom  thou  hast  given  me,  that  they  may  be  one,  as  we  are. 

j/5l  more  interesting  object  can  scarcely  be  presented,  than  a 
good  man  in  the  act  of  intercession  with  God.  View  Job,  after 
the  customary  feasting  of  his  sons,  rising  up  early,  and  offering 
burnt  offerings  in  their  behalf,  according  to  the  number  of  them 
all ;  saying.  It  may  be  that  my  sons  have  sinned,  and  cursed  God 
in  their  hearts.  View  Moses,  when  awakened  vengeance  hung 
over  the  people  of  Israel,  on  account  of  the  golden  calf,  fervent- 
ly interceding,  Oh,  this  people  have  sinned  a  great  sin 

Yet  now,  if  thou  wilt,  forgive  their  sin  ;  and  if  not,  blot  me,  I 
pray  thee,  out  of  thy  book!  View  Solomon,  at  the  dedication  of 
the  temple,  kneeling  in  presence  of  the  assembled  tribes,  and 
spreading  forth  his  hands  to  the  God  of  heaven,  in  earnest 
prayer  for  all  the  people  of  his  realm,  and  for  generations  then 
to  come.  View  Daniel,  suspending  the  pleasures  and  cares  of 
his  high  station  in  the  Persian  court,  retiring  to  his  chamber,  and 
there  setting  his  face  unto  the  Lord  his  God,  to  seek  by  prayer 
and  supplication,  with  fasting,  and  sackcloth,  and  ashes,  for  the 
liiUilment  of  the  divine  word,  in  the  return  of  his  captive  nation, 


SERMON  XXXVIII.  47^ 

and  the  re-building  of  their  holy  city  and  temple.  Are  you 
struck,  my  brethren,  with  the  grandeur  of  these  objects  ^  It  can- 
not be  otherwise  :  for  in  view  of  them  the  stateliness  of  princes, 
and  the  triumphs  of  conquerors,  appear  as  vanity,  and  all  the 
dazzling  pageants  of  the  world  lose  their  lustre. — What  then 
must  be  your  impressions,  when  you  contemplate  the  scene 
presented  in  our  text.  Here  you  behold,  not  the  father  of  a 
family,  not  the  leader  of  a  nation,  not  the  first  of  princes  or  of 
prophets  merely  human ;  but  one  greater  than  the  greatest  of 
them  all.  You  behold  the  Lord  from  heaven,  the  Son  of  the 
Highest,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  in  the  act  of  fervent  prayer, 
in  behalf,  not  of  a  family  or  of  a  nation,  but  of  millions  on  mil- 
lions, of  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  jyeople.  It 
was  the  same  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed — it  was  just  be- 
fore his  death — that,  rising  from  the  table  of  the  holy  supper, 
he  lifted  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  poured  forth  his  heart  into 
the  bosom  of  his  Father,  in  behalf  of  all  who  were  to  be  re- 
deemed with  his  blood  ! 

Our  text  is  a  part  of  his  prayer,  I  pray,  says  he,  not  for  the 
world,  but  for  them  which  thou  hast  given  me  ;  for  they  are  thine. 
And  all  mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are  mine  ;  and  I  am  glorified 
in  them.     And  now  i  am  no  more  in  the  world,  but  these 

ARE  IN  THE  WORLD  ;  AND  I  COME  TO  THEE.  HoLY  FATHER, 
KEEP  THROUGH  THINE  OWN  NAME  THOSE  WHOM  THOU  HAST 
GIVEN  ME,  THAT  THEY  MAY  BE   ONE,  AS  WE  ARE. 

The  principal  sentiments  of  the  text  are  these  :  Christ  has  a 
peculiar  people  ; — his  people  while  in  this  world  are  surrounded 
with  dangers  ; — their  safety,  amidst  these  dangers,  lies  in  the 
name  of  God  ; — and  their  being  kept  in  the  name  of  God  is  of 
high  importance,  as  it  is  necessary  to  their  union. 

I.  Christ  has  a  peculiar  people. 

In  a  general  sense,  the  whole  world  is  Christ's  ;  for  all  per- 
sons and  things  tvere  created  by  him  and  for  him  ;  and  to  him,  as 
Mediator,  all  power  is  given,  in  heaven  and  earth.  But,  in  the 
beginning  of  this  prayer,  he  says,  Father,  the  hour  is  come ; 
glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy  Son  also  may  glorify  thee :  As  thou 
hast  given  him  power  over  all  Jiesh,  that  he  should  give  eferyial 


480  SERMON  XXXVIll. 

life  TO  AS  MANY  AS  THOU  HAST  GIVEN  HIM.  At  tlic  ninth  versc, 
he  says,  /  pray  for  them  :  I  pray  not  for  the  ivorld,  but  jar 
them  that  thou  hast  given  me.  And  this  distinction  is  clearly 
marked  in  our  text,  and  throughout  the  whole  prayer. 

Them  that  thou  hast  given  me. — The  people  thus  de- 
signated appear  to  have  been  given  him  by  the  Father,  in  the 
covenant  of  redemption,  as  his  reward  for  his  mediatorial  suffer- 
ings.     When,  said  the  ancient  oracle.  When  thou  shalt  make  his 

soul  an  offering  for  sin,  he  shall  see  his  seed  ; he  shall 

see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied.     At  another 

time.    The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord, rule   thou  in  the 

midst  of  thine  enemies.  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in 
the  day  of  thy  power.  And  Christ  himself  says.  All  that 
the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me  ;  and  him  that  cometh  to 
me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out. 

The  eleven  disciples,  who  were  present  w^ith  Jesus  at  the 
time  of  this  prayer,  were  of  this  number.      Thine  they  were, 

says  he,  and  thou  gavest  them  me /  have  given  unto 

them  the   words  which  thou  gavest  me,  and  they  have  received 

them  ; and  they  have  believed  that  thou  didst  send  me. 

They  are  not  of  the  world,  even   as  I  am  not  of  the 

ivorld JVeither  pray  I  for  these  alone  ;    but  for  them 

also  which  shall  believe  on  me  through  their  loord  ;  that  they  all 
may  be  one. 

Christ,  then,  has  a  peculiar  people — a  people  given  to  him 
by  the  Father — a  people  who  comeJ^o  him,  believe  in  him,  and 
keep  his  words ;  and  to  whom  he  gives  eternal  life. — But, 

II.  In  this  world,  Christ's  people  are  surrounded  with  dan- 
gers. 

And  now,  he  says,  /  am  no  more  in  the  world  ;  but  these  are 

in  the  world Holy  Father,  keep  them.     In  the  next 

verse,  he  adds.  While  I  ivas  with  them  in  the  ivorld,  i  kept 
them  in  thy  name.  Hitherto  his  disciples  had  been  favoured 
with  his  personal  presence,  and  immediate  care  ;  but  now  he 
was  about  to  return  to  his  Father,  and  leave  them,  in  this  re- 
spect, alone  in  the  world.  With  ineffable  tenderness,  therefore, 
he  brings  them  to  the  Father,  and  pr^ys  the  Father  to  keep 


SERMON  XXXVm.  481 

.them.  But  why  this,  if  he  did  not  know  that,  while  in  the 
world,  they  would  be  surrounded  with  dangers  ?  J  pray  not,  he 
afterwards  says,  /  pray  not  that  thou  shouldest  take  them  out  of 
the  world;  but  that  thou  shouldest  keep  thevfifrom  the  evil ;  that 
is,  from  the^ dangers  to  which  they  would  be  exposed.  This 
prayer,  however,  had  respect,  not  to  the  disciples  then  present 
only  ;  but  to  his  people  of  every  nation,  and  of  every  age  ;  and 
surely,  my  brethren,  you  need  no  proof  to  convince  you,  that 
for  this  tender  concern  of  our  gracious  Redeemer  there  was 
abundant  reason. 

His  people,  while  here,  are  but  strangers  and  pilgrims  ;  and 
are  but  too  often  treated,  not  merely  as  strangers,  but  even  as 
enemies.  Their  principles  and  views,  their  deportment  and 
conversation,  are  offensive  to  those  among  whom  they  sojourn  ; 
and  give  them  painful  occasion,  not  seldom,  to  remember  his 
monitory  words  ;  Because  ye  are  not  of  the  world,  hut  I  have 
chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the  world  hateth  you.  It 
is  not,  however,  in  the  open  hostility  of  the  enemies  of  truth  and 
religion,  that  their  greatest  danger  lies.  Hostile  as  the  world 
may  be,  they  have  infinitely  less  to  fear  from  its  repi'oaches  and 
frowns,  than  from  its  flatteries  and  blandishments.  Its  maxims 
and  practices,  its  customs  and  manners,  its  riches  and  honours, 
its  gaieties  and  splendours,  too  often  insensibly  gain  upon  their 
minds,  steal  away  their  hearts,  and  draw  them  to  the  brink  of 
ruin.  Errour,  also,  constantly  suiTOunds  them,  with  her  thou- 
sand delusive  and  ever  varying  forms,  and  plies  their  faith  with 
the  most  insidious  arts,  and  the  most  specious  pretensions.  Nor 
have  they  to  wrestle  with  flesh  and  blood  merely,  but  against 
principalities,  against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness 
of  this  world,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  highjylaces.  Satan, 
with  his  legions,  attacks  them  at  every  point,  and  employs  all 
his  malice,  and  all  his  subtilty,  to  subvert  and  destroy  them. 
Yet  of  all  tlieir  enemies,  the  most  dangerous  are  llie  inbred  cor- 
ruptions of  their  own  hearts;  those  unsubdued  fusts  within  them, 
that  war  against  the  soul,  and  are  ready,  on  every  occasion,  to 
betray  them  into  the   snares  with   wiiirh  they  are   continually 

encompassed. 

61 


482  SERMON   XXXVllI. 

Such  is  the  situation,  such  the  exposure  of  Christ's  people, 
so  long  as  they  remain  in  this  world.  Of  these  multiplied  dan- 
gers the  omniscient  Saviour  has  a  view,  infinitely  more  clear 
than  any  which  we  can  take  ;  and  from  all  these  dangers,  he 
most  affectionately  and  earnestly  prayed,  that  his  people  might 
be  preserved. 

III.  The  safety  of  Christ's  people,  amidst  the  dangers  of 
their  pilgrimage,  lies  in  the  name  of  God. 

Holy  Father,  keep  through  thine  own  name  those  whom  thou 
hast  given  me.  Or,  according  to  a  reading  preferred  by  some 
eminent  criticks,  Holy  Father,  keep  them  in,  or  through,  thy 
own  name,  tvhich  thou  hast  given  me.  Besides  the  instance  in 
the  text,  the  phrase,  thy  name,  is  three  times  used  in  this  pray- 
er. I  have  manifested  thy  name  unto  the  men  which  thougavesi 
me  out  of  the  world. —  While  I  was  with  them  in  the  world,  1 
kept  them  in  thy  name. — And  I  have  declared  unto  them  thy 
NAME.  It  is  not  to  be  doubted  that,  in  all  these  instances,  the 
phrase  has  one  and  the  same  meaning.  What,  then,  did  our 
gracious  Intercessor  mean,  when  he  said,  I  have  manifested  thy 
NAME  unto  the  men  whom  thou  gavest  me  ?  Doubtless  he  meant, 
that  he  had  manifested  to  them  God's  true  character.  He  had 
just  before  said.  Thou  hast  given  the  Son  power  over  all  flesh, 
that  he  might  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him. 
And  this,  he  adds,  is  the  life  eternal,  to  know  thee  the 
only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent.  The 
eternal  life,  then,  which  he  had  power  to  give,  essentially  con- 
sisted in  a  true  knowledge  of  the  Father  and  of  himself.  When, 
therefore,  he  says,  /  have  manifested,  or  made  known  thy  name 
unto  the  men  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  he  must  be  understood 
to  mean,  that  he  had  imparted  to  them  that  knoivledge  of  God, 
which  is  eternal  life.  But  how  did  he  impart  to  them  this 
knowledge  of  God  ?  By  means,  unquestionably,  of  those  truths, 
those  doctrines,  which  he  taught  them.  JVo  man  hath  seen  God 
at  any  time  ;  the  only  begotten  Son  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the 
Father,  he  hath  declared  him ;  and  he  has  declared  him,  by 
means  of  the  truths  which  he  has  taught  respecting  him.     Men 


SERMON  XXXVIII.  48S 

indeed  know  nothing  rightly  of  God,  but  by  means  of  those 
divine  truths,  which  have  been  revealed  to  them. 

Something  of  God,  something  of  what  is  comprised  in  his 
name,  had  been  revealed  to  men,  under  the  ancient  dispensa- 
tion;  but  when  the  Messiah  came,  still  clearer  and  fuller  dis- 
coveries of  hirn  were  made  :  and  it  was  by  making  known  to 
them  those  truths,  in  which  these  discoveries  were  contained, 
that  Christ  manifested  the  name  of  God  to  his  people.  Accord- 
ingly, in  the  eighth  verse  of  our  context,  he  says,  /  have  given 
unto  them  the  words — the  doctrines  or  truths — which  thou  gav- 
est  me,  and  they  have  received  them.  And  then  in  the  text,  he 
prays,  Holy  Father,  keep  them  in  thine  own  name,  which  thou 
hast  given  me  ;  i.  e.  in  the  truths  which  make  thee  known,  and 
which  I  have  declared  to  them.  In  the  next  verse  he  subjoins, 
While  I  was  with  them  in  the  world,  I  kept  them  in  thy  name. 
Not  only  had  he  communicated  to  them  those  truths,  which 
express  the  divine  character,  but  he  had  kept  them  in  those 
truths;  and  he  prayed  that  they  might  still  be  kept  in  them. 
To  the  same  effect  he  adds,  in  the  twenty-sixth  verse,  /  have 
declared  unto  them  thy  name,  and  will  declare  it.  He  had  made 
discoveries  of  God  to  them,  and  would  make  still  clearer  dis- 
coveries, in  the  fuller  revelations  of  divine  truth,  which  were  to 
be  made,  when  the  Comforter  should  come. 

In  praying,  then,  that  his  people  might  be  kept  in,  or  through, 
the  name  of  God,  Christ  prayed  that  they  might  be  kept  in,  or 
through,  the  truth ;  and  in  this  their  safety,  amidst  their  various 
dangers,  essentially  lies. 

Christ's  people  are  they  who  cordially  receive  his  doctrine, — 
the  truths  revealed  in  his  word, — the  discoveries  of  God  made 
in  his  gospel ;  and  if,  according  to  his  prayer,  they  are  kept  in 
the  name  of  God,  they  are  preserved  in  the  belief  and  love  of 
those  truths  and  discoveries.  In  so  far  as  they  are  tlius  kept, 
they  are  safe  ;  secure  against  all  the  dangers'with  which  they 
are  surrounded.  Let  the  world  frown  or  smile,  reproach  or 
flatter ;  let  errour  beset  them,  with  all  her  varied  forms  and 
enticements  ;  let  Satan  assail  them  with  his  subtlest  wiles,  or  his 


464  SERMON  XXXVllI. 

deadliest  weapons  ;  let  the  enemies  within  them  rise,  and  strug- 
gle, and  endeavour  to  bring  them  into  captivity  ;  still  their  safe- 
ty is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  If  they  are  but  kept  in  the  be- 
lief and  love  of  the  truth,  they  may  bid  defiance  to  all  the  arti- 
fice and  power  of  all  their  enemies  combined.  But  the  moment 
they  leave  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;  the  moment  they  depart 
from  the  truth  ;  they  become  weak  as  other  men,  and  the  ene- 
my will  prevail  against  them. — Such,  my  brethren,  so  impor- 
tant, was  the  reason  for  the  Saviour's  earnest  prayer.  If  they 
are  kept  in  the  name  of  God,  in  the  belief  and  love  of  the  truth, 
they  will,  through  his  name,  or  by  means  of  his  truth,  be  pre- 
served y}*ow  the  evil  that  is  in  the  world. 

IV.  Being  kept  in  the  name  of  God,  or  in  the  belief  and 
love  of  the  truth,  is  highly  important,  as  it  is  essential  to  chris- 
tian union.  Holy  Father,  keep  them  in  thine  own  name,  that 
they  may  he  one,  as  we  are. 

The  oneness  of  Christ  with  the  Father,  is  transcendent,  in- 
deed, and  absolute.  One  in  the  essence  of  the  Godhead,  they 
are  perfectly  united  in  love,  in  will,  in  action,  in  happiness,  and 
in  glory.  After  this  divine  and  majestick  example,  the  Saviour 
prays  that  his  people  may  be  one. 

Union  among  christians  is  of  unspeakable  importance.  It  is 
important  to  themselves  ; — to  others  ; — and  to  the  honour  and 
kingdom  of  their  Lord. 

In  this  evil  world,  surrounded  with  dangers,  and  beset  with 
troubles,  christians  constantly  need  the  friendly  offices,  the  en- 
couragements, and  aids  of  one  another.  God,  indeed,  is  their 
refuge,  and  the  rock  of  their  salvation  ;  and  to  him  they  must  look 
for  their  best  supports — from  him  receive  their  highest  consola- 
tions. Next  to  these,  which  they  receive  directly  from  God, 
are  those  which  are  only  to  be  derived  from  fervent  charity 
among  themselves.  Behold  how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is 
for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity  !    It  is  like  the  precious 

ointment  upon  the  head  of  Aaron  ; as  the  dew  of  Her- 

mon,  as  the  dew  that  descended  on  the  mountains  of  Zion. 


SERMON  XXXVIll.  485 

Union  among  christians  is  important,  not  only  to  tliemselves, 
but  also  to  others.  They  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and  the  light 
of  the  world.  It  belongs  to  them  to  display  before  men  the  ex- 
cellent spirit  of  the  gospel ;  the  spirit  of  good  will,  of  love,  and 
of  peace  ;  that  the  world  may  see  and  know  that  Christianity  is 
most  excellent  in  its  nature,  and  happy  in  its  fruits  ;  and  be 
constrained  to  receive  and  obey  the  truth,  or  else  be  left  with- 
out excuse.  But  how,  in  this  regard,  is  their  light  so  to  shine 
before  men,  if  they  are  not  in  concord  and  peace  among  them- 
selves .'' 

This  union  among  christians  is  important,  moreover,  to  the 
honour  of  Christ,  and  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom.  It  di- 
rectly concerns  the  honour  of  Christ,  that  his  people  should 
manifest  a  spirit  different  from  that  of  the  world  ;  that  they 
should  show  his  religion  worthy  of  all  acceptation  ;  that  they 
should  appear  in  character,  as  the  children  of  the  God  of  love 
and  peace.  But  this  is  not  all ;  it  is  by  his  people,  instrumen- 
tally,  that  the  cause  of  Christ  is  to  be  maintained  and  promoted 
in  the  world.  It  is  obvious,  however,  that  for  maintaining  the 
truth,  for  withstanding  the  hosts  of  its  assailants,  and  for  spread- 
ing it  extensively  in  the  world,  they  are  strong,  only  in  propor- 
tion as  they  are  united. 

As  important,  therefore,  as  is  their  own  happiness  in  time, 
the  conviction  and  salvation  of  their  fellow  men,  and  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  honour  and  kingdom  of  their  Lord,  so  impor- 
tant it  is  that  tlie  people  of  Christ  should  be  one.  This  he  him- 
self saw  in  all  its  extent,  and  felt  with  all  its  weight ;  and  this 
he  accordingly  made  a  very  principal  subject  of  his  prayer.  It 
was  especially,  indeed,  in  order  to  this  ;  it  was  that  his  people 
might  be  one,  that  he  so  earnestly  prayed,  that  his  Father  would 
keep  them  in  his  own  name.  And  to  evince  that  their  being 
kept  in  the  name  of  God,  or  in  the  belief  and  love  of  the  truth, 
must  be  eminently  conducive  to  their  union,  can  require  no  la- 
boured argument.  So  far  as  they  are  kept  in  the  belief  and 
love  of  the  truth,  they  are  kept  in  the  love  of  God  ;  and  so 
far  as  they  are  kept  in  the  Jove  of  God,   they  must  be  united, 


486  SERMON  XXXVIII. 

or  prepared  to  unite,  in  charity  among  themselves.     He  that 
loveth  God,  will  love  his  brother  also. 

It  is,  moreover,  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  that  agreement 
in  religious  belief  should  conduce  to  union  in  affection  ;  and 
that  disagreement  in  religious  belief  should  tend  to  disunion,  and 
alienation.  What  is  the  testimony  to  this  point,  given  by  expe- 
rience and  fact  ?  Why  is  it  that  the  great  christian  community 
is  at  this  moment  divided  into  parties  ? — parties  arrayed  in  great- 
er or  less  hostility  to  each  other  ?  Is  it  not  because  there  is  a 
disagreement  among  them  in  religious  belief  ?  Every  friend  to 
the  Redeemer,  and  to  his  cause,  must  deplore  indeed,  that  even 
small  differences,  respecting  the  truths  and  institutions  of  the  gos- 
pel, should  be  allowed  to  sever  the  bonds  of  christian  charity, 
and  create  alienations  among  the  disciples  of  one  common  Master, 
and  the  brethren  of  one  common  family.  The  fact,  neverthe- 
less is  not  to  be  disputed  ;  and  it  stands  in  the  place  of  a  thou- 
sand arguments,  to  evince  the  importance  of  christians  being 
kept  in  the  truth,  in  order  to  their  union  in  love.  It  shows,  in 
the  light  of  the  meridian  sun,  the  reason  of  the  Saviour's  prayer, 
that  his  Father  would  keep  his  people  in  his  own  name,  that 
they  might  be  one. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1 .  It  highly  behooves  christians  to  be  watchful  and  prayer- 
ful, that  they  may  be  kept  from   the  evils  that  are  in  the  world. 

Are  you,  christian  brethren,  surrounded  with  dangers  on 
every  side  ?  Are  you  strangers  and  pilgrims  in  an  enemy's 
country  ?  Are  you  exposed  to  the  seductions  of  the  world,  to 
the  enticements  of  errour,  to  the  wiles  and  assaults  of  Satan, 
and  to  the  treacheries  of  your  own  hearts  ?  And  can  you  sleep 
upon  your  posts  ?  Can  you  fold  your  arms,  and  pass  heedless- 
ly on,  as  if  your  way  were  free  from  every  peril  and  annoyance  ? 
Turn  your  eyes,  then,  to  the  Saviour,  and  view  him  in  the  act 
of  earnest  prayer  for  you,  that  you  might  be  kept  from  the  evils 
which  beset  you.     Was  his  tender  concern  for  you   without 


SERMON  XXXVIII.  487 

cause  ?  Was  there  no  good  reason  for  his  earnest  prayer  ?  Or 
shall  he  be  thus  concerned,  shall  he  thus  pray  for  you,  and  will 
you  feel  no  concern,  will  you  not  watch,  will  you  not  pray,  for 
yourselves  ? — O,  with  what  pathetick  eloquence  does  the  gra- 
cious Redeemer's  prayer  reprove  the  too  general  heedlessness 
and  negligence  of  his  people. — Christians  awake  !  Take  unto 
yourselves  the  complete  armour  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  able  to 
withstand  in  the  evil  day,  and  having  done  all,  to  stand.  Stand, 
then,  having  your  loins  girt  about  with  truth,  and  having  on  the 
breastplate  of  righteousness,  and  your  feet  shod  with  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  gospel  of  peace.  Over  all,  take  up  the  shield  of 
faith,  whereby  ye  shall  be  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the 
ivicked  one  ;  and  take  the  helmet  of  salvation,  and  the  sword  of 
the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God ;  praying  always  with  all 
prayer,  and  watching  thereunto  with  all  perseverance. 

2.  It  is  incumbent  on  christians  to  take  great  pains  to  be 
rooted  and  grounded  in  the  truth,  and  to  grow  in  divine  knowl- 
edge. 

Amidst  all  the  dangers  of  this  evil  world,  their  safety  lies  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  ;  in  the  knowledge,  the  belief,  and  the 
k)ve  of  those  truths,  in  which  God  has  revealed  himself  to  them 
in  the  gospel. — Your  Master  and  Lord  has  prayed  for  you,  chris- 
tians, that  you  might  be  kept  in  the  name  of  God,  that  you  might 
be  kept  in  his  truth.  But,  how  are  you  to  be  thus  kept,  if  you 
do  not  know  his  name,  if  you  do  not  know  his  truth,  and  be  not 
rooted  and  grounded  therein  ?  And  how  are  you  to  know  the 
truth,  and  to  be  rooted  and  grounded  in  it,  if  you  take  no  pains 
for  this  purpose  .''  You  must  not,  then,  be  contented  with  slight 
impressions  of  divine  truth,  or  with  incoherent  and  superficial 
views  ;  but  you  must  labour  for  a  clear,  connected,  and  solid 
knowledge  ;  for  such  a  knowledge  as  shall  enrich  and  establish 
your  minds,  and  have  a  steady,  an  abiding,  a  transforming  influ- 
ence upon  your  hearts.  In  order  to  this,  you  must  search  the 
scriptures  with  dihgence,  give  earnest  heed  to  what  you  hear, 
meditate  often  and  deeply  on  divine  subjoctS;  and  earnestly  pray 
for  the  teachings  of  th&  divine  Spirit. 


188  SERMON  XXXVm. 

3.  It  must  be  a  great  fault  in  christians,  that  they  are  nor 
more  united  in  love. 

It  was  a  very  principal  thing  for  which  the  Saviour  prayed, 
that  his  people  might  be  one.  One  great  end,  for  which  he  so 
earnestly  entreated  the  Father  to  keep  them  in  his  own  name 
was,  that  they  might  be  united  in  love.  Agreement  in  regard 
to  divine  truth,  as  we  have  seen,  is  of  great  importance  to  union 
in  christian  affection  ;  and  if  christians,  in  general,  took  suitable 
pains  to  establish  themselves  in  the  truth,  their  union,  unques- 
tionably, would  be  greatly  increased,  and  their  bonds  of  chris- 
tian charity  would  be  greatly  strengthened.  It  is  obvious,  how- 
ever, that  their  christian  union  is  not  always  in  proportion  to 
their  agreement  in  their  speculative  views  of  divine  truth.  It  is 
but  too  commonly  a  fact,  that  christians,  who  speculatively  agree 
in  regard  to  the  principal  things  of  tlie  gospel,  are  yet,  on  ac- 
count of  some  differences  of  minor  importance,  or  some  private 
or  party  considerations,  in  a  state  of  great  alienation  from  each 
other.  And  why  is  this  ?  Doubtless  it  is  because  the  great 
truths  of  the  gospel  to  which  they  assent,  are  not  allowed  their 
proper  impression  and  influence  on  their  minds  and  hearts  ;  and 
on  those  minor  things,  in  respect  to  which  they  disagree,  an  un- 
due stress  is  laid.  This,  certainly,  is  a  matter  which  demands 
the  most  serious  attention  of  christians.  For  it  cannot  be  a 
light  thing  for  the  disciples  of  Christ  to  be  alienated  from  each 
other,  to  fall  out  by  the  way,  and  mutually  to  bite  and  devour. 
It  is  repugnant  to  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  it  tends  to  the  hin- 
drance of  the  truth,  and  to  the  destruction  of  the  souls  of  men  ; 
It  opens  the  wounds  of  the  Redeemer,  and  makes  them  bleed 
afresh. 

4.  How  affecting  is  the  love  which  Christ  has  for  his  people. 
He  has  loved  them  ivith  an  everlasting  love,   and  therefore 

with  loving  kindness  has  he  drawn  them.  Before  the  world  was, 
he  undertook  for  their  redemption  and  salvation ;  and  when  the 
fulness  of  the  time  was  come,  he  came  down,  for  this  purpose, 
from  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  ser- 
vant, and  appeared  in  the  likeness  of  man.  For  their  sakes,  he 
endured   the  rnnfradiciion    of  sinners    against  himself;  made 


SERMON   XXXVIII.  480 

himself  known  as  the  waij,  the  truth,  and  the  life  ;  and  gave  full 
proof,  lliat  he  was  the  Messiah,   the  Son  of  the  living  God,  the 
Saviour  of  men.     For  them   he   freely   devoted  himself  to  the 
cross,  to  make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin.     On  tlie  evening  before 
his  death,  after  instituting  the  holy  Supper,  the  sacred  memorial 
of  iiis  love,  knowing  the  dangers  to  which  his  people   would  be 
exposed  in  this  evil  world,  he  poured  out  his  heart  into  the 
bosom  of  the  Father  in  their  behalf,   and  most   earnestly  com- 
mended them  to  his  Father's  gracious  care.     He  then  delivered 
himself  up  to  suffer  and  die  for  them.     But  he  arose  from  the 
dead  ;  he  ascended  to  heaven  ;  and,  amidst  the  acclamations  of 
angels,  he  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,   in  divine 
majesty  and  glory.     There   he   still  sits,  there  he  ever  hveth, 
and  there  he  maketh  continual  intercession  for  his  people.     And 
as,  while  here  on   earth,  he   prayed.  Father,  I  ivill,  that  they 
also  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they 
may  behold  my  glory,   ivhich  thou  hast  given  me  ;  so,  around  his 
throne  in  the  heavens,  he  has   prepared  mansions  for  them,  for 
their  everlasting  rest  in  his  love. — Herein,  my  brethren,  is  love 
indeed  ;  love,  which  transcends  our  highest  praises,  our  highest 
thoughts. — O  christians,   be  constrained  by  this  love,  to  walk 
worthy  of  your  glorious  Redeemer  and  Lord,  unto  all  pleasing  ; 
and  watch,  and  pray,  and   endeavour,  that  you  may  be  kept  iu 
the  name,  in  the  truth  of  God,   that  you  may  be  one,   even  as 
Christ  and  the  Father  are  one.     And  will  not  your   hearts  also, 
O  sinners,  be  melted  with  the  Redeemer's  love  and  grace.     O 
remember,  that  he  died  for  you  also  ;  and  to  you  his  salvation  is 
offered.     Be  entreated,  then,  by  the  blood  of  his  cross,  and  by 
the  worth  of  your  own  souls,  to  look  unto  him,  and  be  saved. 
62 


SERMON  XXXIX. 

man  a  sojourner. 

Psalm  xxxix.  12, 

Fur  I  am  a  stranger  with  tkee^  a  sojourner.,  as  all  my  fathers  were. 

J.T  is  our  wisdom,  my  brethren,  often,  and  seriously,  to  con- 
sider what  we  are,  what  is  our  present  state,  and  what  our  pros- 
pects for  the  future.  Reflections  of  this  kind  are  especially 
proper,  at  a  season  like  the  present,  when  we  are  brought  to 
the  close  of  another  year,*  and  are  surrounded  with  mementoes 
of  the  transitoriness  of  human  life,  and  of  all  terrestrial  things. 
And  to  this  purpose,  the  words  of  our  text  may  give  a  suitable 
and  profitable  direction  to  our  minds. 

Abraham,  the  venerable  father  of  believers,  sojourned  in  the 
land  of  promise  as  in  a  strange  country,  dwelling  in  taber- 
nacles with  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  heirs  with  him   of  the  same 

promise These  all  died  in  faith,  not  having  received  the 

promises,  but  having  seen  them  afar  off,  and  ivere  persuaded  of 
them,  and  embraced  them,  and  confessed  that  they  were  strangers 
and  pilgrims  on  the  earth.  David  enjoyed,  with  the  chosen 
tribes,  a  settled  possession  of  Canaan,  and  was  a  powerful 
monarch  of  their  promised  inheritance.     By  the  times,  how- 

*  This  sermon  was  preached  in  the  Tabernacle,  Decenibpr  31,  1820  ;  an»l 
was  the  last  which  the  author  ever  delivered  in  Salem. 


SERMON  XXXIX.  491 

ever,  which  successively  passed  over  him,  he  was  admonished 
of  the  mutability  of  the  world,  of  the  vanity  of  sublunary  scenes, 
and  of  his  own  transient  continuance  in  them.  And,  amidst  all 
the  splendour  of  his  achievements,  the  profusion  of  his  riches, 
and  the  magnificence  of  his  royal  state,  he  gave  place  to  re- 
flections on  his  relations  to  time  and  eternity,  and  felt,  and  con- 
fessed, that  he,  too,  was  but  a  stranger,  a  sojourner,  on  earth, 
as  all  his  fathers  had  been.  This  it  becomes  every  one  of  us,  my 
brethren,  to  feel  and  to  confess.  Nor  is  this  all  that  we  should 
do.  The  consideration  that  we  are  strangers,  sojourners  on 
earth,  naturally  leads  to  reflections  of  high  religious  importance. 
To  some  of  these  your  attention  is  now  requested. 

I.  If  we  are  but  sojourners  on  earth,  it  becomes  us  to  reflect 
on  the  purposes  for  which  we  are  here. 

Were  we  to  judge  from  the  manner  in  which  mankind  but 
too  generally  live,  we  might  conclude  that  they  were  sent  into 
the  world  for  no  other  end,  than  to  spend  their  fleeting  days  in 
pursuit  of  earthly  vanities.  This,  however,  but  ill  comports 
with  any  just  conceptions,  either  of  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
our  Creator,  or  of  the  capacities  and  faculties,  with  which,  by 
him,  we  are  endowed.  Are  you  not  conscious,  my  hearers,  of 
a  principle  within,  which  lifts  your  nature  to  a  high  superiority 
over  the  tribes  of  mere  animal  beings  around  you  ?  Are  you 
not  conscious  of  a  mind,  which  suffers  most  shameful  degrada- 
tion, when  chained  down  to  earth,  and  eniployed  only  in  pro- 
curing the  gratifications  of  appetite  and  sense  .''  Are  you  not 
conscious  of  a  soul,  which  can  never  be  filled,  never  be  satisfi- 
ed, with  all  which  this  world  can  supply  ;  and  which  ought  to 
aspire  to  objects  more  solid,  more  durable,  more  excellent,  than 
any  within  the  compass  of  sublunary  things  .'*  Have  you  ever 
found,  in  your  earthly  enjoyments  and  pursuits,  any  thing  com- 
mensurate with  your  desires,  or  answerable  to  your  conceptions 
of  the  dignity  of  your  nature,  or  the  end  of  your  existence  .'' 
You,  who  have  Hved  longest  in  the  world,  and  made  the  fairest 
experiment  of  its  various  objects,  are  you  not  impressed  with  a 
conviction,  that  you  were  certainly  founed  for  some  higher  pin- 


492  SERMON   XXXlX. 

pose,  than  to  seek  and  enjoy  the  best  portion  it  can  ever  afford  r' — 
Yes,  my  hearers,  you  all  have  this  conviction.  You  have  a  per- 
suasion, that  you  do  not  sojourn  here  for  purposes  merely  earth- 
ly ;  that  you  are  not  to  limit  your  desires,  or  views,  to  the 
fleeting  shadows  of  time  ;  that  the  end  of  your  being  lies  not 
below  the  sun.  You  have  an  irresistible  conviction,  tliat  the 
Author  of  your  being  has  destined  you  to  an  end  infinitely  more 
important ;  that  from  this  transient  scene,  you  are  to  be  remov- 
ed to  another  and  very  different  state  of  existence  ;  that  you  are 
to  dwell  hereafter,  where  your  capacities  may  expand,  and  your 
faculties  have  full  employment,  duration  without  end.  This 
conviction,  so  consonant  with  reason,  is  strengthened  and  con- 
firmed by  the  testimony  of  God.  He  who  made  us,  in  whose 
hand  our  breath  is,  and  whose  are  all  our  ways,  has  clearly  de- 
clared to  us  the  great  purpose  of  our  earthly  sojourn.  From 
him,  we  know  that  we  are  here  in  a  course  of  trial  and  prepara- 
tion for  an  eternal  state. 

We  are  fallen  creatures.     Our  first  father  sinned ;  and  his 
children  are  all  sinners ;  alienated  from   God,  and  under  con- 
demnation.    But   God  has  found  a  ransom.     In   his  boundless 
merc)^,  he  has  given  the  blood  of  his  Son   for  our  redemption  ; 
granted  us  a  reprieve,   and   put  us  on  probation.     This  is  our 
present  condhion  :    Our  sojourn  in  this  world  is  entirely  proba- 
tionary.    Life  and  death  are  here  set  before  us.     Heaven  and 
hell  await  the  issue  of  our  trial.     According  to  our  conduct  here, 
eternal  joys,  or  eternal  woes,  will  be  our  portion  hereafter.     If, 
during  this  probationary  scene,  we  penitently  turn  from  sin  unto 
God,  humbly  accept  his  Son  as  our   Saviour,  trust  in  him,  and 
become  conformed  to  his  will,   as  graciously  revealed   in  his 
word ;  we  shall  be  saved  from  sin  and  from  wrath,  be  restored 
to  the   divine   favour,  to   the  bosom  of  everlasting  love,    and 
made  partakers  of  an  inheritance,  incorruptible,  and  undefiled, 
and  which  fadeth  not  axoay.     And  in  proportion,  to  our  advan- 
ces in  the   knowledge  of  God,   and  conformity  to  his  will,  we 
shall  be  enriched  with  glory,   and  honour,    and  immortality. 
But,  if  we  continue  in  sin,   and   neglect  the  great  salvation  so 


SERMON   XXXIX.  49.3 

mercifully  oftered  to  us,  we  shall  die  under  condemnation,  and 
must  lie  down  in  sorrow  forever ;  and  the  greater,  the  more 
multiplied  and  aggravated  our  sins,  the  deeper  must  we  sink  in 
the  abyss  of  perdition.  Momentous  issue  !  How  deeply  does  it 
concern  every  one  of  us  most  seriously  to  reflect  on  the  end  of 
our  sojourn  ! 

II.    It  behooves  us  to  reflect  on  the  time  of  our  sojourning 
here,  which  is  past. 

.The  days  of  our  years  are  three  score  years  and  ten;  and  if 
by  reason  of  strength  ffiey  be  four  score  years,  yet  is  their  strength 
labour  and  sorrow ;  for  it  is  soon  cut  off,  and  we  fly  away.  How 
much  of  this  period,  then,  is  already  past?  Are  ten  years — are 
twenty — are  thirty — are  forty — are  fifty  years  gone  ?  Ah  !  how 
swiftly  have  they  passed  !  and  how  much  more  swiftly  will  those 
which  remain  to  us  fleet  away  !  How  devoutly  should  we 
prav,  So  teach  us  to  number  our  days,  that  xoe  may  apply  our 
hearts  unto  wisdom.  If  we  duly  consider  our  connection  with 
eternity,  it  must  certainly  be  with  us  a  solenni  thing  to  reflect, 
from  year  to  year,  how  much  of  the  time  of  our  sojourning  is 
gone ;  how  precious  a  part ;  how  great  a  proportion  of  the 
whole ;  and  how  quickly  the  remainder  will  fly  away. 

Reflections  of  this  kind,  we  know,  are  vmwelcome  ;  and  no 
doubt,  my  hearers,  you  find  your  minds  reluctant  to  entertain 
them.  The  world  solicits  your  attention  ;  engrosses  your 
tlioughts  ;  steals  away  your  hearts.  There  is  also  a  sti'ong  pro- 
pensity io put  far  away  the  evil  day,  and  to  shut  out  the  thoughts  of 
death  and  eternity.  But  this  propenshy  should  not  be  indulged. 
To  indulge  it,  even  in  youth,  is  criminal  folly;  to  indulge  it,  in 
advanced  age,  is  consummate  madness.  Our  days  will  speed 
their  flight,  in  spite  of  all  our  unwillingness  to  think  of  their  end  ; 
nor  is  death  the  less  near,  because  we  refuse  to  notice  its  ap- 
proach. Should  we  not,  then,  accustom  ourselves  seriously  io 
number  our  days  ?  Is  it  not  our  wisdom  so  to-familiarize  our- 
selves with  death,  as  to  disarm  him  of  his  terrors;  so  to  ac- 
quaint ourselves  with  the  grave,  as  to  regard  it  as  the  place  in 
which  our  bodies  shall  rest  in  hope  ;  so  to  entertain  the  thoughts 
of  leaving  the  world,  as  to  wait  for  the  day  of  our  departure 


494  SERMON   XXXIX. 

with  cheerful  expectation  ;  so  to  pass  the  time  of  our  sojourning 
here,  as  constantly  to  keep  in  view  our  eternal  abode  with  anti- 
cipations of  unspeakable  glory  ?  This  would  certainly  be  our 
wisdom,  even  did  we  know  that  the  time  allotted  us  here  would 
be  three  score  years  and  ten  ;  how  much  more,  then,  when  we 
are  not  allowed  to  boast  of  to-morrow,  and  know  not  what  a  day 
may  bring  forth. 

111.  As  sojourners  on  earth,  it  becomes  us  seriously  to  reflect 
how  wc  have  lived,  and  what  we  have  done  hitherto. 

Though  we  sojourn  as  in  a  strange  land,  yet  we  are  con- 
stantly under  the  eye  of  our  Judge,  and  our  conduct  is  all  regis- 
tered in  heaven.  Our  thoughts,  our  words^  our  actions ;  the 
subjects  of  our  attention,  and  the  objects  of  our  pursuit ;  the 
tempers  we  exercise,  and  the  passions  we  indulge  ;  our  treat- 
ment of  God,  his  law,  his  truth,  and  his  grace ;  our  treatment  of 
our  fellow  sojourners,  in  the  various  relations  we  bear  to  them  ; 
our  whole  manner  of  life,  in  regard  both  to  this  world  and  to 
the  future  ;  all  is  noted  in  that  awful,  that  appalling  book,  which 
will  be  opened  before  the  universe,  in  the  final  day,  and  out  of 
which  we  shall  be  judged  for  eternity.  We  cannot,  indeed, 
recollect  the  whole.  Thousands,  millions  of  our  thoughts, 
words,  and  deeds,  are  so  gone  from  our  memories,  that  we  shall 
never  think  of  them  more,  till  they  are  declared  to  us  from  the 
dread  tribunal.  On  a  review  of  our  lives,  however,  we  may 
recollect  much;  so  much  as  to  be  able  to  determine,  with  a  good 
degree  of  correctness,  what  has  been  the  prevailing  temper  of 
our  minds,  what  the  prhicipal  objects  of  our  pursuit;  and  what 
our  general  characters,  in  the  view  of  him  ivith  whom  we  have 
to  do. 

How,  then,  have  we  lived,  and  what  have  we  been  doing  ^ 
How  was  it  with  us  in  the  days  of  our  youth  ^  Did  we  remem- 
ber our  Creator  with  reverence  and  love  ;  early  turn  from  the 
ways  of  death,  and  choose  the  path  of  life  ;  and  become  the 
2;rateful  disciples  of  him  who  died  to  redeem  and  save  us  ^  Or 
did  we  spend  our  youthful  days  in  vanity,  in  forgetfulness  of 
God,  in  neglect  of  his  law  and  his  grace,  and  in  a  thoughtless 
j'ound  of  folly  and  sin.  after  ike  way  ofavr  own  hearts,  an^  in 


SERMON  XXXIX.  490 

the  sight  of  our  own  eyes  ? — How  have  we  lived  since  we  came 
to  mature  age  ?  Have  we  walked  with  God  ?  Have  we  followed 
Christ  ?  Have  we  been  obedient  to  the  gospel  ?  Have  we,  bp 
patient  continuatice  in  ivell  doing,  been  seeking  for  glory,  and 
honour,  and  immortality  7  Where  have  our  hearts  been  placed  ; 
and  what  have  been  the  objects  of  our  care  and  pursuit?  How 
have  we  treated  the  precepts  of  the  divine  law  ?  How  have  we 
received  the  overtures  of  divine  grace  ?  How  have  we  regarded 
the  interests  of  the  divine  kingdom  ?  How  have  we  improved 
under  the  various  instructions  of  the  divine  word  and  provi- 
dence f*  What  advances  have  we  made  in  the  knowledge  of  God, 
in  holiness  of  heart  and  of  life,  in  preparation  for  heaven  ?  What 
have  we  done  for  liim  who  made  us — for  him  who  has  redeem- 
ed us  ?  What  for  the  honour  of  his  name — for  the  advancement 
of  his  cause — for  the  good  of  our  fellow  men,  to  whom,  as  well 
as  to  ourselves,  he  has  shown  infinite  love  and  mercy  ?  Alas  for 
us,  ray  brethren,  if  we  have  neglected  these  great  concerns,  for- 
gotten the  proper  business  of  life,  and  been  spending  the  time  of 
our  sojourning  here  only  in  the  pleasures,  and  cares,  and  pur- 
suits of  this  vain  world  ! 

Certainly,  however,  it  becomes  us  to  pause,  and  consider ; 
to  bring  ourselves  to  a  strict  account,  at  the  bar  of  conscience, 
and  by  the  word  of  everlasting  truth  ;  and  to  know  how  we 
stand  with  God,  and  in  relation  to  eternity.  Are  we  afraid  to 
do  this  .''  From  a  secret  consciousness  of  negligence  and  guilt, 
are  we  inclined,  like  imprudent  bankrupts,  to  let  our  accounts 
run  on,  unliquidated,  unexamined,  till  the  fatal  hour  of  irretriev- 
able ruin  .''  Is  this  the  part  of  wisdom  ?  Can  we  do  this,  and 
persuade  ourselves  that  we  are  acting  as  becomes  rational  and 
accountable  beings.''  Are  we  not  sojourners  on  earth,  as  all  ovr 
fathers  were  ?  Are  not  our  days  here  swifter  than  a  weaver^s 
shuttle  9  Are  we  not  on  the  way  to  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ  ? 
Is  not  eternity,  with  its  amazing  retributions — its  majestick  real- 
ities— before  us.''  And  can  we  pass  thoughtlessly  on,  and  refuse 
to  consider  how  we  stand,  and  what  we  have  to  expect .'' 

IV.  As  sojourners,  it  behooves  us  to  consider  what  wo  have 
yet  to  do,  before  we  leave  the  world. 


19G  SERMOiN   XXXrX. 

None  of  you,  iny  hearers,  can  regard  an  exchange  oi'  worlds 
as  an  event  of  little  moment.  None  of  you  can  think  the  issue 
of  your  probation  unimportant.  None  of  you  can  consider  it  a 
matter  of  little  consequence,  whether  your  eternal  state  be  happy 
or  miserable.  If,  then,  you  hav^e  hitherto  lived  without  God  in 
the  world,  and  neglected  the  great  concerns,  in  which  you  ought 
to  have  been  engaged ;  it  is  time,  that  you  aivake  to  7-ighteovs- 
ness,  and  sin  no  more.  For  those  who  are  advanced  in  years, 
It  is  certainly  high  time  ;  nor  is  it  too  soon  for  those  who  are 
young.  Are  any  of  you,  then,  slill  impenitent  in  sin  ?  Have  you 
lived  all  your  days,  until  now,  in  alienation  from  God,  contemn- 
ing his  law,  abusing  his  patience,  rejecting  his  grace,  trampling 
on  the  blood  of  his  Son  ?  How  solemn,  how  fearful  is  your 
state  !  God  has  called,  but  you  have  refused  ;  he  has  stretched 
out  his  hand,  but  you  have  not  regarded  it.  How  many  earnest 
calls,  how  many  importunate  entreaties,  how  many  gracious  ex- 
postulations, how  many  awful  reproofs  and  warnings,  has  he  ad- 
dressed to  you,  in  his  word,  and  in  his  providence  !  How  many 
precious  privileges  have  you  abused  !  How  many  invaluable 
opportunities  have  you  neglected  ! — How  astonishing  have  been 
the  divine  mercy  and  forbearance  towards  you  !  How  unspeak- 
able is  your  ingratitude ;  how  innumerable  and  how  aggravated 
are  your  sins  ! — Hitherto  you  have  been  spared,  but  you  have 
not  repented.  Your  peace  is  not  yet  made  with  God ;  but  you 
have  been  continually  hardening  your  hearts,  and  augmenting 
vour  guilt,  in  his  sight.  Your  unnumbered  offences, — all  your 
sins  of  childhood,  of  youth,  and  of  more  advanced  years,  are  yet 
unpardoned.  You  are  still  under  condemnation,  and  have  no 
good  hope  for  eternity.  O  my  fellow  sojourners,  in  what  lan- 
guage should  the  ambassador  of  Christ  address  you.''  What 
words  can  adequately  express  your  guilt,  or  your  danger  ?  Re- 
pent ;  repent,  and  obey  the  gospel ;  or,  as  surely  as  you  live, 
there  is  but  a  step  between  you  and  everlasting  destruction. 

Repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  are  indispensable  for  every  one,  in  order  to  a  happy 
exchange  of  worlds. — But  even  those  of  you,  my  hearers,  who 
have  repented  ot  your  sins,  and  are  believers  in  Christ,  may  find 


SERMON   XXXIX.  497 

auich  which  yet  ought  to  be  done,  before  you  depart  hence,  to 
your  eternal  abode  ;  much  for  yourselves,  for  your  families,  for 
your  neighbours,  for  the  cause  of  God,  for  the  good  of  your 
fellow  men.  Look  diligently,  then,  into  the  state  of  your  hearts  ; 
search  and  try  your  ways  ;  examine  your  whole  temper  and 
practice.  Consider  the  duty,  which  you  owe  to  your  children, 
to  your  relatives,  to  all  within  the  circle  of  your  acquaintance 
and  influence.  Remember  how  much  you  are  indebted  to  him 
who  has  redeemed  you  with  his  blood  ;  consider  how  little  you 
have  yet  done  for  him  ;  and  inquire  in  what  ways  you  can  yet 
serve  his  cause.  Are  you  not  conscious  of  great  omissions  of 
duty  J  of  great  negligence,  in  regard  to  the  good  you  might  have 
done  .''  And  will  you  not  awake  to  activity  and  zeal ;  and 
henceforth  do  with  your  might,  whatsoever  your  hands  find  to 
do  ^  The  liberal  deviseth  liberal  things,  and  by  liberal  things 
shall  he  stand.  Be  steadfast,  then,  and  unmoveable,  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye  knoio  that 
your  labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 

The  world,  my  brethren,  exerts  a  most  dangerous  influence 
upon  our  hearts ;  an  influence  but  too  strongly  felt  by  good 
men,  and  but  too  often  even  to  the  latest  periods  of  life.  But 
how  melancholy  a  thing  it  is,  to  see  a  mere  sojourner  on  earth 
devotedly  attached  to  these  transitory  objects.  How  melan- 
choly, to  see  a  poor  dying  creature,  advancing  to  the  last  stage 
of  his  pilgrimage,  and  just  passing  the  boundary  of  time  into 
eternity,  with  a  heart  glued  to  the  world,  and  doating  upon  its- 
vanities.     "  O  my  coevals,"  says  Dr.  Young, 

"  O  nay  coevals,  remnants  of  yourselves, 
Poor  human  ruins,  tottering  on  the  grave, 
Shall  we,  shall  aged  men,  like  aged  trees, 
Strike  deeper  their  vile  root,  and  closer  cling. 
Still  more  enamoured  of  this  wretched  soil  ? 
Shall  our  pale  wither'd  hands  be  stretched, 
Trembling  at  once  with  eagerness  and  age  I 
With  avarice  and  convulsion  grasping  hard. 
Grasping  at  air  !    For  what  has  earth  besides  : 
Man  wants  but  little,  nor  that  little  long. 
How  soon  must  he  resign  his  very  dust, 
Which  frugal  nature  hnt  him  for  j-.n  hour  !"' 
63 


496  SERMON  XXXIX. 

If  we  are  but  strangers  here,  and  sojourners,  what  should 
We  want  of  this  world,  more  than  a  comfortable  passage  through 
it,  and  means  to  do  good,  as  the  Lord  shall  give  us  opportunity  ? 
This  is  not  our  rest ;  and  it  is  madness  to  seek  our  portion  here. 
It  is  our  wisdom  to  use  this  world  as  not  abusing  it,  and  in  a 
way  to  lay  up  for  ourselves  treasures  in  heaven^  even  durable 
riches  and  righteousness. 

Our  affections,  my  brethren,  should  be  set  on  things  above. 
We  should  habitually  view  this  world  in  relation  to  eternity  ;  and 
ourselves  as  strangers  and  sojourners  here,  soon  to  be  called  to 
our  eternal  state.  We  should  meditate  much  on  God,  and  on 
Christ ;  on  the  fallen  state  of  man,  and  on  the  way  of  our  re- 
covery ;  on  the  work  of  redemption,  and  on  the  kingdom  of 
grace  and  of  glory  ;  on  death,  en  judgment,  and  on  the  everlast- 
ing state  of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked. — "  O  eternity,  with 
what  majestick  wonders  art  thou  filled  !  where  Jehovah  acts 
with  his  immediate  hand,  and  displays  himself,  godlike  and  un- 
rivalled, in  his  exploits  of  vengeance  and  of  grace  !" — In  the 
present  state,  good  and  ill  are  blended  ;  but,  in  eternity,  the 
righteous  will  be  separated  from  the  wicked,  and  the  happiness 
of  the  one,  and  the  misery  of  the  other,  will  be  unmingled.  O, 
how  glorious  to  join  the  innumerable  company  in  the  realms  of 
everlasting  day  ;  with  them  to  converse,  with  them  to  enjoy  the 
fulness  of  God,  with  them  to  celebrate  his  boundless  wisdom 
and  love,  in  the  song  of  Moses,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb,  for- 
ever and  ever !  How  dreadful  to  sink  down  into  the  abyss  of 
darkness  and  wo,  with  the  malignant  enemies  of  God,  where 
light  can  never  gleam,  where  hope  can  never  come  ! 

My  aged  friends,  where  are  those  who  were  once  your  com- 
panions, in  this  changeful  and  eventful  pilgrimage  ?  No  longer 
are  they  sojourners  here.  The  days  of  their  pilgrimage  are 
ended.  And  are  you  not  astonished,  that  you  have  not  your- 
selves, before  this  day,  dropped  into  some  of  the  many  graves, 
which  have  been  opening  around  you,  and  on  the  brink  of 
which  you  have  walked,  or  stood,  or  lain  ?  On  such  a  brink 
you  are  now  sitting.  O  fasten  your  hold  on  heaven  !  And  then, 
with  humble  triumph  may  you  sing,  even  in  this  region  of  death 


SERMON  XXXIX.  499 

and  field  of  graves,  My  heart  is  glad,  and  my  glory  rcjoiceth  ; 
my  flesh  also  shall  rest  in  hope In  thy  presence  is  ful- 
ness of  joy  ;  at  thy  right  hand  are  pleasures  forevermore. 
'  My  brethren  in  middle  life,  how  have  the  days  of  your  so- 
journing here  hitherto  been  spent  ?  How  stands  your  account 
with  yourselves,  with  your  generation,  and  with  God  ?  In  what 
are  you  now  engaged  ?  In  laying  up  durable  treasures  in 
heaven ;  or  in  grasping  at  the  shadows  of  this  present  world  ? 
You  must  do  something  more  and  better,  than  grasp  at  these 
delusive  shadows,  and  do  it  soon,  or  soon  you  will  find  that  they 
are  miserable  indeed — miserable  for  eternity — who  have  made 
this  world  their  hope.  Be  admonished — be  instructed- — be 
wise — and  whatsoever  your  hands  find  to  do,  do  it  with  your 
might. 

My  dear  young  friends,  you,  it  may  be,  have  scarcely  thought 
of  being  only  sojourners  on  the  earth.  Your  minds  have  been 
filled  with  anticipations  of  earthly  good,  with  enchanting  dreams 
of  earthly  felicity  !  Ah,  how  deceitful,  how  vain,  how  estranged 
from  God,  is  the  heart  of  the  loveliest,  brightest  youth,  until 
renewed  by  divine  grace,  and  softened  and  cleansed  with  re- 
deeming blood !  Your  hearts  must  be  renewed,  and  softened, 
and  cleansed  ;  they  must  be  filled  with  love  to  your  God  and 
Saviour,  and  devoted  to  the  things  that  are  most  excellent. 
Yes,  dear  youth,  your  eyes  must  be  turned  off  from  beholding 
vanity,  and  you  must  live  to  do  good  in  this  evil  world,  so  long 
as  you  sojourn  here  ;  and  so  to  secure  for  yourselv&s  glory,  and 
honour,  and  immortality.  It  is  the  voice  of  eternal  wisdom  to 
you,  /  love  them,  that  love  me  ;  and  they  that  seek  me  early  shall 
find  me. 

Little  children,  Jesus  Christ  calls  you  to  come  to  him.  He 
loves,  and  will  do  you  good.  Hearken  to  him  ;  and  he  will  be 
your  Saviour,  and  your  friend.  He  will  guide  yon  safely  through 
life,  and  bring  you  to  everlasting  happiness  in  hfeaven. 

Dearly  beloved  brethren  and  friends,  another  year  is  gone — 
and  so  quickly  will  the  remaining  years  and  days  of  our  sojourn- 
ing here  pass  away.  All  fiesh  is  grass,  and  ail  the  goodliiiess 
thereof  as  the  flower  of  the  field.     The  grass  withereth,  the  flower 


500  SERMON  XXXIX. 

faihth  ;  because  the  Sj)irit  of  the  Lord  bloweth  upon  it ;  surely 
the  people  is  grass.  The  grass  withereth,  the  flower  fadeth  ;  but 
the  word  of  our  God  shall  stand  forever.  Let  this  word,  then,  I 
beseech  you,  divell  in  you  richly,  in  all  wisdom  ;  and  let  your 
conversation  be  as  it  becometh  the  gospel  of  Christ ;  that  lohether 
I  come  and  see  you,  or  else  be  absent,  ye  may  stand  fast  in  one 
spirit,  with  one  mind,  striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the  gos- 
pel.  In  this  way  will  you  find  the  best  reward  for  all  your 
kindnesses  to  me,  and  for  all  that  you  will  show  to  my  dear  As- 
sociate, for  our  work's  sake  ;  the  richest  consolations  in  th© 
shifting  scenes  of  your  earthly  sojourn  ;  and  the  most  substan- 
tial and  exalted  felicities,  in  that  better  world,  where,  through 
infinite  grace,  we  hope  to  meet,  and  dwell  together,  to  be 
separated  no  more  forever. 

And  now  brethren,  I  commend  you  to  God,  and  to  the  word 
of  his  grace,  which  is  able  to  build  you  up,  and  to  give  you  an 
inheritance  among  all  them  that  are  sanctified.     Amen. 


u 

HO 

yo 
y  0 


LID 

yo 
Mr 


»  <  ' 


